Hurtle George Bronson

When Edward Louis Bronson was 23 years old he married Eliza Jane Wilson aged 21 years on 27 December 1882 at the residence of Mrs W, Winchester at Mallala. 

Edward’s and Eliza’s had the following children; 

William                             born 11 Dec 1882, died 28 Dec 1882
Edwin William                born 29 Feb 1884 at Mallala
Ernest Matthew              born 7 Jan 1886 at Balaklava
Emily May                        born 5 May 1888 at One Tree Hill
Albert Alfred                   born 18 May 1890 at Para Hill 
Hurtle George                 born 18 May 1892 at One Tree Hill
Edward Louis                  born 1 Nov 1893 at One Tree Hill
Eveline Ellen                    born 3 Dec 1895 at Uley
Harold James                  born 10 July 1898 at Davington.

When Hurtle was 20 years of age he married Lily Fletcher aged 19 years on 14 December 1912.  Her father was Daniel Fletcher.  Hurtle and Lily had two children, Edna May born on 3 July 1913 at Queenstown and Harold George born on 6 April 1919 at Semaphore after he had returned from the war.

Hurtle was 22 years old when he enlisted on 5 Feb 1915 and listed his place of birth as Humbug Scrub, Gawler.  He was living at that time on Junction Road, Rosewater and was working as a driver. 

He was appointed to the Base Depot at first and then to the 27^th Battalion.  On 31 May 1915 he embarked for active service abroad.  He was taken on the strength of the27th Battalion at Tel-el-Kabir in Egypt.  He was transferred to England from Etaples to Machine Gun Depot.  Appointed Temporary Driver. 

He was sent to Richmond Military Hospital in England with Meningitis.  Hurtle was discharged from hospital to furlough but then he went AWOL  from  2-5 July 1917 and was given 4 days confined to barracks and lost 4 days  pay.  Because he had Spinal Meningitis he was discharged and left England on the “DEMOSTHENES” for return to Australia.  He disembarked at Melbourne for Adelaide.  He was discharged from the AIF as medically unfit with the disability of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis.

After his discharge from the army he was in Keswick Hospital for 6 months with head trouble.  Dr. H. E. Shepherd also stated that as well as Cerebro – Spinal Meningitis he also was suffering from Neurasthenia and Hypochondriasis which effected the whole of his nervous system.  He continued to be in trouble with the police for the rest of his short life and twice tried suicide.  He tried absconding from bail but was apprehended by a detective on the train at Bordertown on his way to Sydney.  He was himself assaulted by two men in a lane at the back of the Austral Hotel and struck in the jaw and robbed of £4 in 1929.  

The City Coroner, Dr. W. Ramsay Smith deemed an inquest unnecessary for Hurtle of Tavistock Street, Adelaide, who had been found lying on a verandah at Ethelton suffering from the effects of poisoning.  Hurtle passed away at the Port Adelaide Hospital on the 1 October 1929.

He was granted a pension of £3 2 shillings fortnightly but this was reduced  to £2  6 shillings 6 pence. His wife was granted a pension of £1 11 shillings fortnightly. 

Hurtle died aged 37 years at Port Adelaide and is buried in the AIF cemetery West Terrace, Adelaide. 

On the 4 February 1950 his wife Lily died suddenly at the house of their daughter Mrs E. M. Telfer   at 31 Donegal Street, Norwood aged 54 years.