"... I must explain that when the boy was only nine years of age, it became necessary for me to take my children and leave my husband on account of his depraved behaviour and from that time he contributed nothing whatever to the upbringing of my son ..." (letter to A.I.F. Base Depot from Delbridge's stepmother pleading her case for her son's medals).

The couple were irrevocably estranged as evidenced by the eyewitness account. There was a bitter battle over the distribution of the medals and plaque to which the next of kin were entitled. Eventually the Minister for the Army intervened and had a shilling each-way, deeming Delbridge's father receive the 1914/15 Star and his step-mother the British War Medal,

Mrs. Delbridge's letter (part-quoted above) revealed she had another son, Maxl, who served with the R.A.N. aboard H.M.A.S. Brisbane. He subsequently provided a Statutory Declaration supporting his mother's claim and confirmed his father had not supported the children for many years. Public - Brian - Researcher - 27 May 2016 - Personal research