Bryan Westley (sometimes Wesley) Fordon-Bellgrove’s background and pre-war life remain somewhat of a mystery.  He was born in East Melbourne in 1897.  His mother was Sarah Grace Forden-Bellgrove (nee Fordon).  At birth his father’s name was not registered, likewise for his six siblings. There is no record of a marriage involving the names of Fordon/Forden and Bellgrove. In his enlistment papers dated 24 February 1916 Bryan names his mother as his next of kin, his father being deceased.  Bryan married In London and a copy of his marriage certificate is included in his war service record.  It states that his father was Frederick John Fordon-Bellgrove, business manager, deceased.  No record has been found of anyone with this name.  His death certificate gives his father’s name as Wesley John Bellgrove.  This person also does not appear to exist.

Bryan, along with three of his siblings, had the second name, Wesley.  This could be significant in view of later family events.  By 1916 Mrs Fordon-Bellgrove’s address was 121 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy.  It was also the address Bryan gave as his own.  More interestingly it was the home of John Wesley Singleton, the son of Dr. John Singleton, philanthropist and founder of the Collingwood Free Dispensary.  Singleton’s wife had died in 1908.  In 1924, when Singleton himself died, a death notice appeared in the The Argus, inserted in the name of his three sons.  Two years later an In Memoriam notice was inserted in the name of S G Singleton ‘in memory of my late husband’.  There appears to be no record of a marriage.  

 

In 1937 when Bryan’s mother died two death notices appeared in The Argus, one under the name Bellgrove and the other under Singleton in which she was described as the widow of the late Dr John W Singleton.  All this inevitably leads to the question of how long had she been his mistress, and was John Wesley Singleton the father of her children.

 

One of Bryan’s brothers, Clive, eight years his junior, is known to have attended Yarra Park State School, East Melbourne, so it is possible that Bryan too went to this school.  By the time he enlisted he was employed a jeweller.  

 

He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Battalion, 7th Reinforcements as a Private.  He embarked aboard HMAT Berrima on 4 July 1916.  In England he was sent to the 8th Training Battalion at Larkhill.  He left England for France on 31 December 1916 and was taken on strength of the 29th Battalion on arrival.  From 3 February 1917 to 20 February he was in hospital sick with scabies.  On 2 March 1917 he was wounded in action with a gunshot wounds to the feet.  At this time his unit was involved in the Germans’ retreat to the Hindenburg Line.  He returned to his unit from hospital on 21 July.  He was transferred to base headquarters at Le Havre on 15 December 1917.  He was granted leave in the UK from 5 September 1918 until 26 September.  On 14 April 1919 he returned to England and was demobilized on 9 June 1919.  

 

He was granted leave from 10 June 1919 to 31 October 1919 to study building construction and architecture at the LCC (London County Council) School of Building, Brixton. While waiting for transport home many soldiers took the opportunity to study and prepare for civilian life on their return to Australia.  It was during this time that Bryan married Elsie Clara Reynolds on 19 October 1919.  He gave his occupation as draftsman. After finishing his course he was given indefinite leave before finally gaining a berth for himself and his wife for travel to Australia on 27 March 1920.  He was discharged on 24 July 1920.

 

Bryan was rememberd on the Honour Board of Yarra Park School as B Belgrave. The Honour Board has been lost but a photo remains.

 

It is not known whether Bryan worked as a draftsman or builder on his return but it seems likely as his son, Maurice Louis Bryan Bellgrove, was a builder.

 

Bryan died in 1971 at Prahran.

 

NB. A recently discovered family tree on Ancestry confirms Bryan Wesley Forden-Bellgrove's parents [see link below]

 

Herbert Elliot Singleton, son of John Wesley Singleton, and possible half-brother of Bryan, also served in the war.