This site commemorates the men and women of Collingham, Linton and Micklethwaite who served during World War 1.
Catley, Bertram
(1886-1955)
 

Rank and Unit at End of World War One

Rank Gunner

Service Number 233216

Service Army

Battalion 3 Bty 1A Res Bde

Regiment Royal Field Artillery

Pre-war Occupation*/marital status**

Trade or Occupation pre-war: Railway clerk
Marital status: Married


* Taken from attestation papers or 1911 census
** Marital status on enlistment or at start of war
Connection with Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite and reason for inclusion on this web site
  • Born in Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite

Biography

Family background

Bertram Catley was born on the 13th January 1886 in Collingham, the son of Charles Catley and his wife, Ellen Grace Catley, nee Coleman. Bertram lived with his family in Collingham for a number of years, and in 1901 was listed in the census as a railway clerk.

In 1911, we believe Bertram was living as a boarder at New Row, Boroughbridge where he was employed as a railway booking clerk but his name is recorded in that census as Herbert Catley. On the 3rd June 1913, Bertram married Grace Coleman at Skirbeck, Lincoln.

Service record

Bertram enlisted for service in Newcastle on the 10th December 1915, but he was not mobilised until the 21st May 1917 when he became Gunner 233216 in the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and was posted to No. 1 Depot. During the period while waiting to be called up, Bertram and Grace had a son Jeffrey on the 25th June 1916.

After a few weeks, Bertram was posted to 3(R) Battery RFA on the 5th June 1917. From Bertram's service record it appears that he had a persistent medical condition and he was called before a Medical Board to review his case on the 22nd February 1918. With the results from this board, Bertram was transferred to the Class W reserve on the 9th March 1918. The Class W reserve were conscripted soldiers who, upon reflection, were thought to be more useful in their civil employment than in uniform, but in reserve could be called into uniform at a moments notice. The end of the war came in November 1918, and Bertram was not called back to uniform, but instead was finally discharged from the Army on the 18th February 1919.

After the war

Bertram's wife Grace died in Bridlington in 1934 aged 42, and Bertram continued living in Bridlington. Bertram remarried in 1938 to Dorothy May Jeffries and in 1939 Bertram was living at 23 Meadowfield Road in Bridlington with Dorothy and Jeffrey, his son, while working as a railway clerk. We believe Bertram died in East Yorkshire in 1955, while Dorothy died in 1980.

Note: Dorothy's brother Flight Sgt Leonard Arthur Jeffries was killed in action flying with 467 squadron on the 6th Jan 1944.

Biography last updated 29 November 2019 09:18:29.


Sources

1911 Census. The National Archives. Class RG14 Piece 25872
First World War British Army Service Records. The National Archives (WO363).
First World War British Army Pension Records. The National Archives (WO364).

If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info