Darge Photographic Company collection of negatives

Studio portrait of 123 Lance Corporal (LCpl) Ernest Raymond Bregenzer, 22nd Battalion, of Camperdown, Vic. LCpl Bregenzer enlisted on 26 January 1915 and embarked aboard HMAT Ulysses on 8 May 1915. He was promoted to sergeant and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) on 26 November 1917. He was killed in action on 18 August 1918 near Peronne in France. He received his award for most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. At Zonnebeke on 4 October 1917 during an attack this NCO took charge and reorganised his platoon after the officer had been killed. When their advance was temporarily checked by an enemy post he rushed forward and bombed the machine gun and captured fifteen prisoners. On arrival at the objective he selected the line for his men to dig in and remained constantly on duty under the heaviest bombardments supervising the work and encouraging the men. At Broodseinde on 9 October 1917 his dash and determination materially contributed to establishing our line in its new position. Throughout the whole of the operations his personal bravery, his qualities of initiative and leadership have been exhibited to a marked degree. His nephew Louis Bregenzer was wounded, taken prisoner and died in Germany (unable to verify any details).