From the Western Front to Salonika

Harry Bertram enlisted for service in the Army Service Corps on 29th April 1904 at the age of 18 but was transferred to the Royal Field Artillery a few days later. He served for just 4 years before joining the Army Reserve on 29th April 1908 and then left on 31st December 1909. On 15th October 1914 he rejoined the RFA and was posted to the 132nd battery, 1st brigade on 24th November.

STATEMENT of the SERVICES of No. 34180 Name Harry Bertram

Corps.	Battn. or Depot.	Promotions, Reductions, Casualties, &o.	Army Rank	Dates.	Service not allowed to reckon for fixing the rate of Pension.		Service in Reserve not allowed to reckon towards G. C. Pay.		Signature of Officers certifying correctness of entries.
Corps.	Battn. or Depot.	Promotions, Reductions, Casualties, &o.	Army Rank	Dates.	years.	days.	years.	days.
Service towards limited engagement reckons from __29-4-04 Joined at _________Glasgow______on_________5-5-04
A.S.C		Attested	Dr	29.4.04
		Transferred
(RH &	RFA)	para 131 K. Regs	"	2.5.04
	No.2
R.F.A	Depot	Posted	Dr	2nd May '04
	131st
	Bty	Posted	"	8th May '04

Granted	1st	G. C. Badge		19.8.06


1st Class	Sec	Transferred	Dr	29.4.07
Army	'A'
Reserve		Reverted	Dr	29 Apl 08

		Absent	Dr	31 Dec 09
		Rejoined	Dr	15 Oct 14



27th Div	Arty	Posted	Driver	24 Nov 14
	132	Posted	Driver	24-11-14
5th RES.	BATTER	Y ,R.F.A. Posted	Driver	27 - 4 - 15
5th RES.	BATTER	Y ,R.F.A. Appointed	A/Bdr	6. 1. 16
5th RES.	BATTER	Y ,R.F.A. - - -	A/Bdr	1. 4. 16
504th How	Bty RFA	Posted	A/Bdr	28/7/16
Bty 504	France	Posted	A/Bdr	1 . 5 . 17
504 Bty	65 Bde	Confirmed	Bdr	2. 5. 17

Harry served in the 132nd battery during the Second Battle of Ypres until he was transferred to 5th reserve battery on the 27th April 1915. However, unlike Alfred Allen, the date that Harry was gassed can be assertained quite accurately since his Casualty Form has servived. A transcript is shown below.

(8915)-Wt. W4882-560.-600.000.-9-14.-G.A.T.&S.,Ltd. Form B. 103/1.

Forms B. 103/1.

Army Form B. 103.

Casualty Form -- Active Service.

Regiment or Corps __132nd_Bty_RFA_27th_Div

Regimental No._34180___ Rank______Dr__ Name__Bertram__H______

Enlisted (a) 29.4.04 Terms of Service (a)__3_y_9__ Service reckons from (a) 29.4.04

Date of promotion to
present rank

}

Bdr_2.5.17

Date of appointment
to lance rank

}

_6.1.16_

Numerical position on
roll of N.C.Os.

}

_________

Report		Record of promotions, reductions, transfers casualties, etc., during active service, as reported on Army Form B, 213, Army Form A. 36. or in other official documents. The authority to be quoted in each case.	Place	Date	Remarks taken from Army Form B. 213, Army Form A. 36, or other official documents.
Date	From whom received
7/5/15. 8/5/15	OC 13 Sty Hpl. - " -	Admitted 13 Sty. Hpl. Gas Poisoning. Transferred to Hpl. Ship for England.	Field - " -	26/4/15 27/4/15	A F W 3030 D/26/4/15. A F W 3034 D/27/4/15.

As can be seen, Harry was admitted to No. 13 Stationary hospital on 26th April sufferring from gas poisoning. This is an important piece of evidence and shall be returned to later.

Below is a transcript of the Military History Sheet for Harry Bertram. Like Alfred Allen's it shows him landing in France on 20th December 1914, the day before his battery is reported to have disembarked.

COUNTRY	FROM	TO	YEARS	DAYS	N.B.-The Country only to be shown - it is not necessary to show separately the service in the different stations of the same country. England, Scotland and Ireland to be shown under the general term "Home". For mode of computing Service Abroad, see Queen's Regulations.
Home	29 - 4 - 04.	19 Dec 14	10.	235
France	20 - Dec 14.	26 - 4 - 15.		128
Home	27 - 4 - 15.	1 - 5 - 17	2	5
France	2 - 5 - 17	14 - 5 - 19	2	13
Home	15 - 5 - 19	25 - 8 - 19		103