Bernard Cornelius Bugg (1891 - 1916)

Born 2 Feb 1891 in Emu Bay, Tasmania, Australia

Ancestors

Died 19 Aug 1916 at age 25 in Pozières, France

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mary Bugg [send private message]

Biography

Bern Bugg is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Private Bern Bugg served in the Australian Imperial Force in World War I
Service started: 16 Dec 1915
Unit(s): 12th Infantry Battalion
Service ended: 19 Aug 1916

Private Bern Bugg was Killed in Action during World War I.

Bern Bugg was born on 2 Feb 1891 at Emu Bay, Tasmania ^[1], one of 12 children born to Jonathon Bugg and Ellen Carty, who were pioneers in the Emu Bay/Somerset area of Tasmania. He probably would have attended the Elliott Primary School, although this hasn't yet been proven. He and some of his brothers were very sporty, and played football with the local "Yeoman Football Team". His nephew, Basil Bugg, often used to talk about the sporting prowess of some of his uncles... playing both football and cricket.

Bern and his brother Perc (Robert Percy) enlisted to fight for their country in WW1 in 1915, and they embarked in Melbourne on 18th February 1916, on board the “HMAT Ballarat” with the 12th Infantry Battalion.

Bern was killed in action 19th August 1916 at Pozieres France (on his brother Perc's 27th birthday) and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His brother Perc did not return to Australia until 10th September 1917, over a year after his brother was killed in action.

SPORT:
Bern, along with his brothers Mick, Abb and Perc, played football with the Yeoman Football Team from at least 1906, and he was still playing with them in 1913 along with his brothers Perc and Fred. The team won the Premiership in 1906, and a photo of Jonathon Bugg (his father) and the team can be found in a book about the Elliott area by Ray W. Harnett, "History & Recollections of Elliott & Village Lane, 1859 - 1983". A photo of the 1913 team can also be found on the same page, and it notes that sixteen of the players/trainers had enlisted in the 1914-18 war (including Bern and Perc), and eight were killed (including Bern). ^[2]

SAD NEWS FROM THE WESTERN FRONT: ^[3]
The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919) - Tue 24 Oct 1916 - Page 2
ELLIOTT SOLDIER'S DEATH.
Writing to an Elliott resident, Major L. M. Mullen mentions that Private Bernard Bugg was killed in the fight in which they took part previous to writing on Sept. 2. He says: 'Both he and Percy were in it, and both are splendid boys. If you see any of the Bugg family you can say that he died fighting splendidly. I only wish we had a few more like them ; we seem to get all our best men killed.'

MEMORIAL SERVICE: ^[4]
Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) - Tue 3 Oct 1916 - Page 3
TASMANIAN CASUALTIES
"There was a large congregation at the Roman Catholic Church at Wynyard at the 11 o'clock mass on Sunday, when a memorial service was held for several young men of the parish, who had recently died on active service. These were Privates Leo Berechree, Bernard Bugg, Henry Carroll, and Arthur Shields, killed in action in France, and Private James Madden, who died of meningitis. Father O'Donnell, in the course of an impressive address, said that they commended the souls of the deceased soldiers to the prayers of the faithful. They offered their deepest sympathy to the relatives of the fallen men. They had the consolation of knowing that their boys had died in a noble cause, and had proved themselves true to their native land and to their own manhood. They had also given evidence of true Christian virtue, as their letters showed that they had all been most attentive to their religious duties. What was a few years of life compared to a death such as this? Their memories would remain green amongst those who had known them. May they rest in peace! The service concluded with the hymn, "Nearer My God, to Thee" and "The Dead March", played by the organist (Miss L. Porter)."

SERVICE RECORD - RSL VIRTUAL WAR MEMORIAL: ^[5]
Service Number: 4749
Enlisted: 16 December 1915, Claremont, Tasmania
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 12th Infantry Battalion
Born: Somerset, Tasmania, 2 February 1891
Home Town: Somerset, Waratah/Wynyard, Tasmania
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Grocer
Died: Killed in Action, Pozières, France, 19 August 1916, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial No known grave
Memorials: Australian War Memorial, Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)*

World War 1 Service
16 Dec 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, SN 4749, Claremont, Tasmania
18 Feb 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, SN 4749, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Melbourne
18 Feb 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, SN 4749, 12th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1
19 Aug 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, SN 4749, 12th Infantry Battalion, Pozières

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL - ROLL OF HONOUR: ^[6]
Bernard Cornelius Bugg
Service Number: 4749
Rank: Private
Unit: 12th Australian Infantry Battalion Service: Australian Army
Conflict / Operation: First World War, 1914-1918
Conflict eligibility date: First World War, 1914-1921
Date of death: 19 August 1916
Place of death: France
Cause of death: Killed in action
Place of association: Elliott, Tasmania, Australia
Cemetery or memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army
Location on the Roll of Honour
Bernard Cornelius Bugg's name is located at 65 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial (as indicated by the poppy on the plan). Plan of Commemorative area showing which panel the name Bernard Cornelius Bugg's is located.

Roll of Honour name projection
Bernard Cornelius Bugg's name will be (or was) projected onto the exterior of the Hall of Memory on:
Fri 9 September, 2016 at 4:22 am
Fri 4 November, 2016 at 12:06 am
Sun 8 January, 2017 at 5:03 am
Fri 10 March, 2017 at 4:32 am
Sat 29 April, 2017 at 11:43 pm
Mon 12 June, 2017 at 7:19 pm
Mon 24 July, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Sat 9 September, 2017 at 1:00 am
Fri 3 November, 2017 at 3:51 am
Mon 8 January, 2018 at 12:28 am

Sources

1. ↑ Australian Birth Record (Tasmanian Names Index, LINC) 2 Feb 1891 - nb. recorded as "Cornelius", but known as "Bernard Cornelius" [1]
2. ↑ "History & Recollections of Elliott & Village Lane, 1859 - 1983", Ray W. Harnett, Printed May 1984, Reprinted November 1984, Images Opposite Page 70
3. ↑ The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919) - Tue 24 Oct 1916 - Page 2 [2]
4. ↑ The Examiner (Australian Newspaper) Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) - Tue 3 Oct 1916 - Page 3 [3]
5. ↑ RSL Virtual War Memorial [4]
6. ↑ AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army [5]