ABBEY, Albert Edward
| Service Number: | 1655 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 April 1914, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | 19 Woodhead St, North Fitzroy, Victoria, 15 May 1893 |
| Home Town: | North Fitzroy, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., 20 June 1950, aged 57 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Apr 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, HMAT Demosthenes | |
| 16 Jul 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1655, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Jul 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1655, 21st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 21st Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières |
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Son of James Abbey, 52 Holden Street, North Fitzroy Melbourne, Victoria
Returned to Australia 27 Spetmenber 1919
Brothers: 74 Pte Frederick ABBEY, 7th Bn, died of wounds, 30 April 1915;
548 Pte James Wesley ABBEY, 14th Bn, returned to Australia, 10 March 1918;
6460 Pte William Benjamin ABBEY, 14th Bn, returned to Australia, 5 March 1918;
Cousins: [1345] Lt Edgar George ABBEY, 38th Bn, killed in action, 17 July 1917;
158 Pte Harold Claude ABBEY, 14th Bn, died of wounds, Gallipoli, 19 May 1915.
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Albert Edward Abbey was born on the 15th of May, 1893 at 52 Holden Street, North Fitzroy, Melbourne. Albert was born to James and Christina Abbey, Methodists, with two sisters and three brothers. Before enlisting on the 14th of April, 1915 at the age of 22, Albert worked as a Labourer and was unmarried.
His Service Record states he began in the 21st Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement as part of the 6th Brigade - which was made up of the 21st, 22nd, 23rd and part of the 2nd Division. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on board the HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 16/7/15. Before Albert's embarkation to Egypt, he moved to the 24th Battalion. The Battalion completed minimal training prior to embarkation, but continued training once they arrived in Egypt.
Albert joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force Gallipoli. On the 10/1/16, Albert disembarked at Alexandria. He was admitted to hospital on the 24/2/16 with Mumps and was discharged on the 6/3/16 to Unit Moascar.
Albert joined the British Expeditionary Force and disembarked on the 26/3/16 at Marseilles in France. He was recorded absent without leave in France on the 17/8/16 for a night attack at 9pm.
He was then wounded in action on the 14/11/16 in the Flers/Gueudecourt conflict which lasted from the 18/10/16 to the 16/11/16. He was admitted to hospital on the 15/11/16 and then transferred, after two gunshot wounds to the right arm. Albert embarked for England from France on the 20/11/16. On the 21/11/16, he was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham with severe gunshot wounds to the right forearm.
He was discharged on the 15/2/17 for furlough and reported to Perham Downs on the 2/3/17, a temporary camp receiving men "likely to be well in 3 months". He was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital in Edgbaston on the 26/2/17 from Perham Downs, with suspected severe tetanus. Albert was then shifted to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford, England on the 23/3/17.
His Battalion took part in the Second Battle of Bullecourt on 3/5/17. The battle was hard, and the rate of casualty was a high 80%. He received furlough on the 13/6/17.
Albert was admitted to Tidworth Military Hospital 16/6/17 with shrapnel in his forearm. He transferred hospitals and then was discharged for duty.
An offence is recorded on 13/7/17 - absent without leave from noon until the next day.
He was sent to Delhi Hospital in Perham Downs on the 18/6/17 and admitted to hospital on the 18/7/17 for shrapnel in the right forearm. He transferred hospitals and then was discharged from Tidworth Military Hospital to Depot Weymouth.
Albert embarked to Australia from England on the 27/9/17 "for a change" on the SS Suevic. He disembarked at Melbourne and was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on the 24/12/17 on early return the grounds of being medically unfit, with the disability of gunshot wounds to the right forearm. Albert received one 1914-1915 Star, one Victory Medal, and one British War Medal.
Almost a year after his return to Australia, Albert went on to marry Charlotte Jane McDonald on the 25th of September, 1918. They had three sons - Brian, Raymond, and Albert. Albert Edward Abbey died at the age of 57 on the 20th of June, 1950 at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.
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