The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1926) Private Alexander Arthur Bradey, 35th Battalion (Infantry), First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Andrew Smith, the story for this day was on (1926) Private Alexander Arthur Bradey, 35th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

1926 Private Alexander Arthur Bradey 35th Battalion, AIF
KIA 3 October 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 3 November 2013

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Alexander Arthur Bradey.

Alexander Arthur Bradey was born at Paddington, New South Wales, in 1884 to William and Christina Bradey. Following the completion of his studies, he qualified as a chemist.

He enlisted for service in the AIF in April 1916 and, after initially being assigned to the 55th and then 56th battalions, he was finally posted to the second reinforcements for the 35th Battalion. It was here that he met and became friends with William O'Shea. He embarked from Sydney in September and arrived in England at the end of October.

Bradey spent the next six weeks in training before being sent to France in mid-December. Another month of training at the infamous "Bull Ring" at Étaples followed before being sent to join the 35th Battalion at Armentières in January 1917.

In June that year the 35th Battalion took part in its first major attack at Messines, which was a resounding success. Following the battle, the 35th was sent back to France for a period of rest and reinforcement before moving back to the Ypres Salient at the end of September. The battalion was in support lines near Zonnebeke at the start of October and was under German shell-fire for much of that time.

On the morning of 3 October, a German bombardment hit the trenches held by the 35th Battalion, killing Bradey's good friend Private William O'Shea. Once the bombardment had lifted, Bradey and another man recovered O'Shea's body and had just finished digging a grave for him when a shell exploded nearby. Bradey was killed instantly and the other man wounded. Bradey and O'Shea were buried together, but in the subsequent fighting the grave was lost. He is now commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with around 60,000 others from the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Alexander Arthur Bradey, Private William Thomas O'Shea, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.