Fred Percival Bullen

A Corporal with the 11th Trench Mortar Battery, Fred died on 1st of September 1918 at the age of 36. 

Fred was born at Shipmeadow, Suffolk, in 1882. His mother, Elizabeth Bullen, married Walter Fletcher at Lowestoft in 1888. In 1891 his family lived at 31 Reeve Street and later at 13 Ipswich Road, Lowestoft. 

Fred married Mary around 1901. She was from Bedford. 

In 1901 Fred and Mary were living at 2 Saint Cuthbert's Street, Bedford, and Fred worked as a crane driver at an electric engineering works. 

Fred served for six years with the Bedfordshire Royal Engineers. The 1911 Census shows Fred and Mary living at 20 Dunville Road, Bedford, and Fred working as a crane driver. Fred and Mary emigrated to Australia on 11 November 1911. 

Fred and Mary were living at 123 Hope Street, Freemantle, when Fred joined the Australian Army on 2 June 1916. He had been working as a storekeeper. Fred arrived in England on 28 December 1916. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 26 January 1917 and arrived in France on 12 June 1917 and joined the 43rd Infantry Battalion on 10 July 1917. He was posted to the 11th Trench Mortar Battery on 15 July 1917. Fred was promoted to Corporal on 9 August 1917. fred was granted leave to England from 4 March to 22 March 1918.  

Fred had a charge of a trench mortar and had to expose himself to enemy fire in order to make sure the weapon was used most effectively. In this course of action he was killed by German machine-gun fire. Fred was given a battlefield burial by members of 11th Light Trench Mortar Battaery and a position 1700 yards south of Bouchavesnes, about 1650 yards north of Feuillaucourt and 2800 yards east-north-east of Clery-Sus-Somme. Subsequently the War Graves Commission could not locate his grave, hence he is commemorated on the Villers-Bretennoneux Memorial.

His service papers have the note: 'His death was much regretted as he was a conspicuously brave man and a conscientious N.C.O.'

Mary wrote to the Australian Army stating that she had heard from one of Fred's officers that he had been recommended for a gallantry award for his actions at Hamel when he was responsible for capturing 45 German prisoners. The war memorial at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft, shows him having been awarded the Military Medal, however there is no record that the award was actually made, even though it seems he was recommended for such an award. 

Mary subsequently remarried.