Born Bernard Joseph Gilliman in East Melbourne 22 May 1898 to George and Florence Maud Gilliman (nee Dean), Joseph was educated at Christian Brothers College, East St. Kilda then St Patrick's College, East Melbourne. The middle son of three brothers, his eldest brother George Patrick also enlisted for WWI, and the youngest brother David enlisted for WW2. Joseph was only 16 years old when he enlisted, although his attestation form says 19 years 9 months, and his father signed his agreement to the under-age enlistment; his occupation is stated as Farm Labourer. He was strong and sturdy; an enthusiast for military matters. He was captain of St Patrick's College cricket eleven. His father George was an accountant by profession, living in East Melbourne until around 1918, when he and the family moved to Dandenong Road, Windsor.

Joseph enlisted for service on 22 February, 1915 becoming part of the 23rd Battallion that was formed at Broadmeadows Camp in 1915 as a unit of the 6th Brigade. Embarkation was on the "Euripides" 8 May, 1915, arriving Alexandria, Egypt on 20 June. After 2 months training at Heliopolis in exceptionally hot conditions, the 23rd Battalion embarked on two ships at the end of August for Gallipoli. As part of the "B" Coy, Joseph was on the ill fated HMT Southland that was torpedoed in the Aegean Sea by a German submarine in September 1915, with a loss of 40 men. Survivors, including Joseph, were picked up by the other troop ship HMT Haverford, which also narrowly escaped a torpedo. A few hours later the ship arrived at Lemnos for a few days before sailing for Gallipoli, where Joseph camped at Rest Gully before being sent to the trenches at Lone Pine where he remained until Evacuation in mid December 1915 to Egypt for 2 months before sailing from Alexandria to Marseilles to proceed to the Western Front near Pozieres.

During a major offensive to secure the Pozieres Ridge on 28 July, 1916, Joseph was wounded by a shot to his left chest. He remained hospitalised for 2 months, returning to his unit in September as his unit proceeded towards Ypres. In late November 1916, Joseph was court marshalled for being AWOL for a week. His punishment was 12 months hard labour, however this was reduced to 60 days. It is unclear where he served this punishment.  Joseph served with his unit through a long period of  battle through to October 1917. He was killed in action on 28 October, 1917 during an intense battle along the Roulers-Zonnebeke-Ypres Road in Belgium. He is buried at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. (Grave reference XXII - D -9)