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Bartley Horace Chesham - Information

Bartley was a son of Thomas and Jessie Jane Chesham. Thomas was born in Mulgoa, and married Jessie in Richmond in 1893. They commenced their large family, Bartley being born in St Marys in 1895. When the war started, the Cheshams were living in Mt Hunter near Camden. Here, Bartley worked as a labourer and dairy farmer. Deciding to enlist in the AIF, he joined up at the Royal Showground Camp in Sydney on the 13th of June 1916. He trained at the Dubbo Depot Battalion in July and Liverpool Depot in August, where he was posted to the 17th Reinforcements, 20th Battalion as a Private. He then boarded the HMAT Ascanius in Sydney on the 25th of October for war service.

Bartley disembarked in Devonport in late December, and was marched into the 5th Training Battalion at Rollestone. In February 1917, he proceeded to France and was taken on strength to the 20th Battalion in March as they were chasing the Germans to the Hindenburg Line. Shortly after arriving in the lines, Bartley was wounded in action on the 2nd of May, receiving a gun shot wound to his right leg. He was initially treated at the Casualty Clearing Station in Rouen. He then left Boulogne on a Hospital Ship for England, admitted to Devonport Military Hospital. He was discharged from hospital on the 5th of July. He waited at Harefield and Wymouth Camps, for orders. The damage to his leg was irreparable. He was therefore, invalided back to Australia in mid October. Bartley returned to his civilian life, residing in Camden and receiving a pension for his war wound. To show their appreciation, the people of Camden gave Bartley and other local boys a welcome home social at Foresters’ Hall in May 1918. The following year, he married Lillian S. M. Wheeler in Sydney. Bartley passed away on the 20th of February 1950.