Bartlett, William John: Service no. 54110 (Military Medal)

Digitized Service Record

Source: Galt Weekly Reporter, May 25, 1916, Page 1

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Family Search: When William John Bartlett was born on 19 July 1880, in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom, his father, John Bartlett, was 28 and his mother, Mary Jane Griffiths, was 25. He immigrated to Canada in 1913 and lived in Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom in 1922. He registered for military service in 1914. In 1914, at the age of 34, his occupation is listed as journalist. He died on 4 March 1947, in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, at the age of 66.

Military Medal: London Gazette. No. 30172. July 9, 1917.

Letter written by Private W.J. Bartlett to the London Advertiser describing Harry Drinkwater:

“One of those 18th heroes who fell in action, who did his bit, was Pte. H. Drinkwater of Galt, Ontario and a braver man never donned the King’s uniform. But I said “man”. In reality he was only a boy, not long out of his teens. He was a Canadian to the fingertips, keen and alert all the time and full of optimism. No, he did not have the appearance of a soldier. His features belonged to the feminine type, and his smile must have been born with him.

Young Drinkwater did not seem to know what fear was. No matter how dangerous a task he was given on the battlefield, he was always ready and looked on the humorous side of things, even when the hellish shells burst near him and the shrapnel played on his steel helmet. But it was at the battle of St. Eloi where Drinkwater distinguished himself most, when the terrific struggle for the crater was in progress. It was a night long to be remembered by those whose mission is was to add further honor and glory to the good old Union Jack.”