Bert KILDUFF

Bert KILDUFF

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4818), Bert Kilduff was born at Windsor, N.S.W.[1]  He gave his age as 23 years and 10 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as butcher. His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was height 5 feet 5 inches tall, weight 9 stone, with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair.  His religious denomination was recorded as Church of England on his initial Attestation Paper (but was recorded as Roman Catholic on his second Attestation Paper).  He claimed that he had no previous military service.  He completed his medical examination on 12^th November, 1915 at Ashfield, and was attested by Lieutenant S. Stirling at Ashfield on 12^th November, 1915, along with two other Coo-ees, on the last day of the Coo-ee March, when the Coo-ees marched from Ashfield to Sydney.

After completing the Coee-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.  His initial period of service on his Statement of Service form is from 12^th November 1915 until 15^th January 1916.

A letter dated 22^nd December 1915 in his service record, addressed to the C. O., 13^th Battalion, stated that ‘This man was fined £5 at the Central Police Court for using obscene language’, and had ‘received a suit of plain clothes’.  Another letter dated 23^rd December 1915 addressed to the C.O., 13^th Battalion, from Lt. Colonel R. C. Simpson, A.A.G. A.I.F. Camp, stated that ‘This man’s clothes have been taken from him at Head Quarters’, and that ‘Attestation papers should be forwarded to me together with discharge papers made out in full, stating that he has been discharged as undesirable’.  On 15^th January 1916 Private Kilduff was discharged Services no Longer Required.

Two days later, Bert Kilduff re-enlisted in the A.I.F.  He undertook another medical examination on 17^th January 1916 at Sydney, and was attested at Liverpool on 18^th January 1916.  He re-joined the Coo-ees at Liverpool Camp, as 15^th reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.

While at Liverpool Camp, on 16^th February 1916 Private Kilduff was charged with insubordination and fined.

On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Riverstone, N.S.W., and his next of kin is listed as his aunt, Mrs C. [Cecily] Viney, Riverstone, N.S.W.  His “Date of joining” on his embarkation roll was 11^th November 1915 (the day the Coo-ees marched from Parramatta to Ashfield).

On 8^th March 1916, Private Kilduff, along with many of the other Coo-ees, departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England.  He arrived in Egypt on the 11^th April 1916.

On 16^th April 1916 Private Kilduff was transferred to the 4^th Pioneer Battalion at Tel El Kebir, Egypt.

On 27^th April 1916 Private Kilduff was admitted to the 54^th Casualty Clearing Station with Mumps.  He was discharged on 17^th May 1916.

On 4^th June 1916 Private Kilduff left Alexandria aboard the transport Scotian bound for France.  He arrived at Marseilles on 11^th June 1916.

On 21^st June 1916 the 4^th Pioneer Battalion was at Strazeele, France, when Private Kilduff was admitted to the 13^th Australian Field Ambulance with Tonsillitis.  He rejoined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion on 25^th June 1916 when it was working on constructing the Bois Grenier Line near Armentieres, France.

Private Kilduff served with the 4^th Pioneer Battalion throughout its service on the Western Front, including Pozieres in August 1916, Mouquet Farm in September 1916, and Flers in October 1916.

On 4^th November 1916 the 4^th Pioneer Battalion was training at Breilly, France, when Private Kilduff was charged with being absent without leave from 2100 till 2130 on 3^rd November 1016.  He was fined 14 days pay.

On 9^th March 1917 the 4^th Pioneer Battalion was constructing railways and training in the vicinity of Longueval, France, when Private Kilduff was admitted to the 8^th Australian Field Ambulance for dental treatment.  He was discharged on 17^th March 1917, but was admitted to the 8^th Australian Field Ambulance sick suffering urethral stricture on the same day.  On 18^th March 1917 he was moved to the 3^rd Casualty Clearing Station.  He was transferred by ambulance train to the 1^st Australian General Hospital at Rouen, France, arriving on 21^st of March 1917.

On 30^th March 1917 Private Kilduff was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Gloucester Castle at Le Harve, France, for transfer to England.  He was admitted to the 5^th Southern General Hospital at Portsmouth, England, on 31^st March 1917.

On 20^th June 1917 Private Kilduff was transferred the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, England.

On 23^rd June Private Kilduff was discharged from hospital to the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England.  On 29^th June 1917 he was transferred to the No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, England.

On 13^th August 1917 Private Kilduff was admonished  with neglecting to obey Group Orders at Salisbury on 4^th August 1917.

On 8^th September 1917 Private Kilduff marched into the Overseas Training Brigade at Perham Downs, England.

On 11^th October 1917 Private Kilduff departed Southampton bound for France.  On 13^th October 1917 he marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Harve, France.

On 21^st October 1917 Private Kilduff rejoined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion when it was working on keeping the Zonnebeke Road in Belgium operational during the Third Battle of Ypres.

After serving with the 4^th Pioneer Battalion on the Western Front for almost another year, on 9^th October 1918 Private Kilduff was granted leave to England.  He rejoined the 4^th Pioneer Battalion on 26^th October 1918 whilst it was training at Ailly-sur-Somme, France.

On 10^th February 1919 Private Kilduff was transferred to England for return to Australia.  He marched into the 3^rd Training Brigade at Fovant, England, on 11^th February 1919.

On 16^th February 1919 Private Kilduff was admitted to the No. 2 Group Hospital with Influenza.  He was discharged on 26^th February 1919.

On 13^th April 1919 Private Kilduff commenced his return to Australia aboard the H.T. Commonwealth.  He arrived in Australia on 12^th June 1919, and was discharged Termination of Period of Enlistment on 27^th July 1919.

[1] NAA: B2455, KILDUFF BERT