Rupert Bartlett was born in the early part of 1888 to William and his wife Lavinia (née Harper) in Turville, Buckinghamshire. Rupert had seven siblings: three brothers; Robert, Eric and Hugh, and four sisters; Gladys, Norah, Josephine and May.

At the age of seventeen years and eleven months, Rupert joined the Territorial Army, enlisting with the 3rd (Territorial) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment on 13th June 1905. Less than two months later, on 4th August, he joined the regular army, enlisting in the 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment. He signed up for twelve years, served in two parts; seven years with the “Colours” and five years in the army reserve. When he joined the battalion, they were based in Ireland returning to England in 1910.

In 1912, Rupert had left the army and returned to civilian life. Little is known about what he did between leaving the army and joining the staff of St Audry’s Hospital as an attendant on 20th April 1914. At the outbreak of war, as Rupert was a reservist, he was recalled on the 5th August to the Mandora Barracks in Aldershot, re-joining the 1st Royal Berkshire Regiment. On 13th August, the battalion embarked from Southampton to Rouen on board the SS Mellifont and SS Ardmore.

During the initial months of the war, Rupert’s battalion took part in several important actions including the Battle of Mons and subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne and First Battle of Ypres. The battalion continued to be a front line force throughout the winter and spring of 1915. From March to the end of April, the battalion was alternating between the front line at Cuinchy and billets at Beuvry. At the beginning of May, the battalion moved to billets in Bethune and were in training at Le Touret in preparation for an offensive at Richbourg which would later become known as the Battle of Festubert.

The battalion war diary for 15th May reported that: 

“Preparations continued for the assault. Our artillery shelled the German breastworks heavily all day. Germans replied wounding a good many of our men. At 3.50pm the order was received that the Battalion was to assault at 11.30pm in the night.

 

The brigade was to attack in accordance with the attached Brigade order: 7th Btn KINGS (Liverpool) Regt were on the right. 1st Btn R Berkshire Regt were in the centre and the 1st Btn KRRC on the left. To the left of the 1st KRR, the 5th Brigade were to attack. The portion of the German trenches which the Battalion had to assault lay between R1 and R6. See attached map shaded portion. The distance to be covered was about 450 yards.

 

All three companies were out ready by 11.15pm and all was done without the enemy having any knowledge. The night was fairly dark and it was difficult to discern any movement. Punctually at 11.30pm "C" Company rose, and proceeded in quick time. They got about 150 yards before the Germans were aware of their approach when suddenly a very heavy rifle and machine gun fire was opened on them. They then rushed the remaining 200 yards and reached the first German trench. Here they bombed, and in many cases caught hold of the German rifles and shot the firer. Meantime, "D" Company was advancing through a hail of rifle and machine gun fire. They reached the first trench, went right on, assaulted and took the second trench. This second trench was about 80 yards in rear of the first trench. Then "B" Company came up and immediately started to consolidate the trench "D" Coy had taken.

 

Thus by 12 midnight the whole Battalion had been launched to the assault, and had taken all the German trenches allotted to them as their task. The assault was completely successful, magnificently timed, and magnificently carried out. The enterprize, alas, was NOT accomplished without heavy losses, our casualties were five Officers killed, two wounded and two missing, 45 OR killed, 287 wounded and 75 missing." 

 

Rupert was one of the forty-five other ranks (OR) killed in action during the offensive. His body was not recovered. Rupert was awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp and Rose, British War and Victory medals for his war service. He was also “Mentioned In Despatches” in Sir John French’s Eighth Despatch, dated 15th June 1915. Rupert is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial and the War Memorials at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Turville, Buckinghamshire, and St Andrew’s Church Melton.