Of Tragedy and Valor
Frederick Ivan Bartel

Frederick Ivan (Ivan) BARTEL was was born at Encounter Bay on 24 January 1920, the eldest son of Johannes

Frederick Bartel and Ivy Grace Bartel (nee Rumbelow). Ivan, as he was known, was educated at Victor Harbor Primary and High Schools. 

The Victor Harbour Times reported that on Saturday, 23 March 1935, Ivan accidentally discharged his rifle and wounded himself in his left foot; he was unloading the weapon whilst seated in a vehicle.

After leaving school, he was employed as a bricklayer. On 22 October 1940, Ivan enlisted in the Citizen’s Military Forces. Service in the militia was compulsory for all males between the age of 18 and 35 years. At the time of his discharge on 31 December 1941, Ivan was serving with the 48th Battalion and his release from the service was based on the need of manpower for the building industry.

Ivan applied to enlist in the Royal Australian Air Force and on 16 January 1943, he was sworn in. Ivan and his wife, Coralie Marburn Bartel (nee Chigwidden) and son Geoffrey (born 24 November 1942), were living in Unley at the time. Ivan underwent basic training at No. 1 Recruit Depot, Laverton and was then posted to No 6 Service Flying Training School at Mallala on 19 February as an aircraft hand.

On 6 June 1943, he was posted to No. 85 Squadron which was based at Guildford (WA).

The Squadron was equipped with CACBoomerangs, an Australian designed and manufactured fighter. A detachment of the Squadron had been sent to the Exmouth Gulf to protect the United States Navy submarine port facilities there. On 30 September, the Squadron

was deployed urgently to Derby in anticipation of a Japanese incursion into the Indian Ocean.

On 11 March 1944, Ivan was posted to No. 55 Operational Base Unit at Birdum and then to No. 9 Wireless Telegraph (W/T) Station, also at Birdum.

Posted to No. 2 Reserve Personnel Pool at Coomalie Creek (NT) on 17 June 1945, Ivan was later admitted to No. 7 RAAF Hospital in Adelaide on 26 June 1945. Granted 14 days sick leave from 2 July, he spent this time at home with his family.

On 7 August 1945, Ivan was a patient at No. 5 Rehabilitation Unit, Victor Harbor for three weeks.

He then underwent pre-discharge medicals and processing and was discharged from the RAAF on5 October 1945. Ivan and Coralie would later have two more children, Ann and Kathryn. He became a successful building contractor on the south coast.

Ivan died on 9 June 2001 and is interred in the Victor Harbor Cemetery.

References:

Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the

Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek:

Aerospace Publications.

Trove Newspapers, The Victor Harbour Times.

With thanks to Ian MILNES, History Research Team, Victor Harbor RSL Sub-Branch