General News
1 March, 2025
Veterans' Voices: Herbert Nicholas Leonard Bertram
This story is about my father, Herbert Nicholas Leonard Bertram (Nick), born on February 29 1916 in Adelaide.
He was an engineer working with a company called Avery Scales.
In the mid 1930s he raced dirt bikes.
It was he – with riders from England, America and Australia – who started organised speedway dirt track racing in Adelaide.
He had JAP (JA Prestwich and Co) motors in his bikes.
One of the first tracks, Camden Park in Adelaide, has a monument to the first riders who raced there, Nick, being one of these.
Nick left the war with the 1939–45 star, given to him for operational service in the Middle East and Palestine.
The Africa Star was for service west of the Suez Canal.
Members of units were called forward to the Alexandria area in Egypt.
He had a clasp added for services in the Western Desert.
The third star was the Italy Star was for his service over Gibraltar and in the Italy campaign.
These were among the six medals he received.
He enlisted as an airman in the RAAF on April 29 1940.
Nick was posted to wireless\air gunner and navigator training (WAGS) in Ballarat.
Other training was done in Adelaide and in Ascot Vale in Melbourne.
He was called up for the duration of the war and for 12 months thereafter.
His appointment to flying officer was on November 27 1944.
He embarked from Sydney on April 9 1941 and journeyed to Egypt.
He began his service in the 117 squadron, where he stayed for 16 months.
He was then a wireless officer and a navigator.
He was posted to the 458 squadron on April 6 1943.
This squadron flew bombing missions in heavy bombers called Vickers-Armstrong Wellingtons.
After becoming a pilot officer on May 27 1944, he was stationed at the Royal Air Force headquarters in the Middle East on August 18 1944 and at the RAF station at Gianaclin.
He was part of this squadron until five months before the end of the war, when he was posted to 459 squadron.
He was discharged from this squadron into the RAAF Reserves on May 26 1945.
While posted with the 117 Squadron, on Thursday August 7 1941 while on flying patrol, Nick’s plane went down in the Western Desert, North Africa.
The crew were missing for a couple of days before walking safely out of the desert.
Another search aircraft out looking for them took a photo of their grounded plane as it flew over it.
This photo survived the war and is now in my safekeeping, along with a photo taken of a sea rescue.
Another badge was awarded to his crew and other crews who survived plane crashes on land and who were part of the paramilitary service.
This badge comprised a pilot’s boot with wings on each side of the boot and was called RAAF Late Arrival Club badge.
In a book written about 458 squadron by Peter Alexander, called ‘We Find and Destroy’ (the motto of the 458 squadron), there is a paragraph on page 102 that describes the rescue of my father and his crew from the sea.
On a mission on February 28 1943 Nick was part of a Vickers-Armstrong Wellington crew led by Flying Sergeant Scott (Scotty) and including ‘Tich’ Woolman, Bob Septly and Howard Witaker.
Their plane ditched into the Mediterranean Sea as a result of engine trouble while out on an anti-submarine patrol over convoys called Novel and Peewit.
As a result of the ditching they received minor injuries but made it into a dinghy in the dark, three unpleasant hours later.
They were picked up by a merchantman ship called SS Destro and taken to Alexandria.
Sometime later they were reunited with their squadron.
As a result of their ordeal they were given a badge with a fish insignia on it designating membership of RAAF Goldfish Club 1939–45.
This badge was given to airmen in the paramilitary service by the firm that made the recue dinghies.
In a photograph of this rescue, Nick is the crewman in the dinghy closest to the rope.
Nick returned to Adelaide and started Bertram Engineering.
He was one of the founders of The Great Eastern Gliding Club at Murray Bridge, South Australia.
He was killed in a gliding accident at Murray Bridge in 1959.
Herbert Nicholas Leonard Bertram’s Flying Boot and Goldfish Club badges were requested by the National War Memorial Canberra and are on loan for display there.
A photo of Nick and the badges he received are part of a World War II airforce display at Stephens Military Museum, 15 Maddern Street, Horsham.
Please visit this amazing collection.
With thanks: Sally Bertram, RSL Military History Library. Contact Sally at sj.bertram@hotmail.com or call 0409 351 940.
