BERT. KEMPSTON COATES - CITIZEN AND SOLDIER.
(M. Fullard)

In November 1998, Mr. Ken Madex, President of the Traralgon R.S.L. welcomed members of the Society to the exhibition titled "Already Half a Soldier", and said that it was a great honour to host this cultural heritage exhibition which was curated by Sue Riley of Canberra.

Sue thanked the R.S.L. for providing their facilities for the exhibition and the family of Bert Coates, his daughters Shirley Hill, Joy Heywood and Rae Keck, and grandson Tony Hill, for allowing access to their family heritage, the letters and photographs.  The photo below, left, was taken during the First World War, and is reproduced with the kind co-operation of Mrs. Shirley Hill.

Mr. Keith Chenhall, nephew of Bert Coates, said that Bert served in the Army for 1,631 days, of which 1,521 days were overseas, with 1,363 days on ammunition wagons. Mostly the ammunition was brought up at night on timbers (flat-topped wagons) and these were drawn by horses. He was wounded in the leg, arm and head. .

Bert had a bright, cheeky nature and had enormous drive and enthusiasm.

He was a great fisherman and was Secretary of the Fish & Game Society for 50  years. There were 1,000 members when Traralgon had a population of 6,000. He was also a prime mover in the establishment of the Golf Club.

Bert served his country and his community well.

Mr. Bill Cuthill,a close friend of Bert, and former Clerk of Courts at Traralgon, told us that they often went fishing together. Bert could catch fish when no-one else could, even with a dry fly in the moonlight.

Mr. Cec. Stammers, whose father was a friend of Bert, said that 70 years ago Traralgon was a difficult place and life was a struggle; there was no Medicare, no Social Services, no Meals-on-Wheels, no nursing homes. People lived very frugally and there was little waste.

Mr. Coates was slim, of average size and had unbounding energy and enthusiasm and an infectious laugh. Everything that he did worked successfully. He ran his shop well, he organized community concerts and had a lovely tenor voice. He was a human dynamo.

Mr. Jack Davidson had been a neighbour. Bert lived in Church Street when there were 4 houses there. He was the first President of the R.S.L. in 1927-28 and he set the inaugural policies. During the Depression he helped to load coal trucks with firewood to be sent to Melbourne for the needy. He helped to organize the Military Balls held in the Town Hall.

He was a typical man of his time. He pitted himself against nature. His family life was very important, and his friends remember him with great affection and respect for his affable, good humoured and genial nature.

Bert Coates was born at Moondarra on June 9th, 1889; he was one of 9 children and he was educated at Walhalla and Traralgon. In his youth, he roamed the wild steep rugged hills around Walhalla. Here he learned gun and fishing skills and how to camp out rough. It was claimed that he was never lost.

When he enlisted in the A.I.F. on 31st August, 1914, these skills made him "half a soldier already". He had great expertise with horses and was appointed to the Ammunition Column, 2nd Australian Field Artillery.

He was an original Anzac; he landed at Gallipoli on 25th April, 1915. He supplied the gun batteries with ammunition and was under constant gunfire. He was wounded by shrapnel in June, but in July he was back again at Anzac Cove.

His brother, Tom, was killed in action at The Nek; Bert witnessed his death and buried him on the beach at The Nek.  His brother, Dick was wounded and developed gangrene, however he lived to be 78 years.

Bert joined the British Expeditionary Forces and disembarked at Marseilles, France, on 28th March, 1916. He was posted to the 2nd Brigade Ammunition Column. In 1917 he transferred to the 102 Howitzer Battery as a Driver in the Front Line. Horses were killed under him, and he was caught in bombardments. Whenever he could, he would go fishing with makeshift gear. In October 1918, not fit for further duty, he was returned to Australia.

He typified C.E.W. Bean's notion of the Australian bush male, making an admirable and natural soldier. The letters and photographs in the exhibition reflect the dedication to a horrifying, almost insurmountable task where death was a constant companion.

On his return to Australia, Bert Coates purchased the freehold of Clarkson's Stationery and Fancy Goods business in Franklin Street, Traralgon, from Mr. Allard Pettit in 1919, and in 1920 he married Hilda Chenhall, the recipient of many of his letters.  Click on the thumbnail image right, to view Bert and staff standing in front of the shop, in 1922. L to R - Winnie Culnane, Jack Curran, Bert Coates, James Fryatt. (Photo from the Society's archives.)

They had 3 daughters, Joy, Shirley and Rae.  

In the photo (right)  Bert is giving advice to the youngest member.  This photo was taken just a few weeks before Bert was accidentally killed on 3rd July 1970.  (This photo is also reproduced with the kind co-operation of Mrs. Shirley Hill.)