Doing our bit, Mosman 1914-1918 -- Berrol Lazar Mendelsohn †

confirmed

Born: 15 May 1891

Died: 20 July 1916

Son of Saul Mendelsohn and Abigail Mendelsohn née Rosensweig. His mother lived at 'Ullenbar', 67 Raglan Street, Mosman, at the time of his enlistment, and death.

Lieut. Berrol Mendelsohn, whose death in action occurred somewhere in France on July 20, was a native of Esk, 25 years of age, and second son of the late Mr. S. Mendelsohn, of Qneensland, and of Mrs. Mendelsohn, Ullenbar, 67 Raglan street, Mosman. He was attached to the Naval Brigade from a lad, and when compulsory training was inaugurated he obtained a commission in the 19th Infantry, in charge of the machine-gun section, and quickly mastered the details. He earned special commendation at Liverpool encampment, 1913, for the smart manner his men performed their work, taking less than half British Army standard time to bring their gun into and out of action. He was well known in swimming circles, having been a member of the Bondi Club for many years, and won many prizes, including the right to hold the Kelly Challenge Cup for a year. He left for Egypt as lieutenant in charge of reinforcements on July 28, 1915, and was immediately sent to Gallipoli, and stationed at Quinn's Post, remaining at his post until the evacuation. He was transferred to one of the newly-formed battalions training in the desert. He left for the battlefields of France, where his first engagement has proved his last. He joined the Pardrian Rubber Co. shortly alter leaving school, and remained with the firm for nine years, until be enlisted. Lieutenant Mendelsohn's youngest brother, Oscar, left recently with artillery for the Front.
- The Queenslander, Saturday 2 September 1916

Killed overnight in the German trenches, Battle of Fromelles.

Buried in the mass grave established by the German Army for Australian and British dead at Pheasant Wood, his identity disc returned to the British War Office.

One of the men positively identified when the mass grave was found in 2007, and interred 2010 in the newly built Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery.