BITTERS, Albert William
| Service Numbers: | 4066, 4066A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Lyndoch, South Australia, 14 June 1893 |
| Home Town: | Lyndoch, Barossa, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 18 September 1918, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, Roisel, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lyndoch Cross of Remembrance WW1 Memorial, Lyndoch and District Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 13 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4066, 4th Pioneer Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4066, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Mongolia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 9 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4066, 27th Infantry Battalion, RMS Mongolia, Adelaide | |
| 18 Sep 1918: | Involvement Private, 4066A, 4th Pioneer Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4066A awm_unit: 4th Australian Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-09-18 | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 4066A, 4th Pioneer Battalion |
Help us honour Albert William Bitters's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Heather Ernszt
Private Alfred William Bitters was born on the 14th day of June 1893, the second son of William Frank BITTERS (also known as BITTER) and Mercy SANDS in Lyndoch, Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Private Bitters and his party of 13 were charged with establishing communications between brigade and battalion headquarters. They were required to lay direction tapes and signboards, south east of Le Vergiour and north west of St Quentin. Lieutenant William Cormack CALDER would br recommended for a Military Cross due to the successful completion of the mission that under heavy fire took Private Alfred William Bitters life.
(source: Commonwealth Gazette No129 20 Nov 1919
4th Pioneer Battalion War Diaries September 1918)
A letter received from Captain Wild by Alfred's parents advised that he had been engaged in an important but dangerous job at the time of his death, and was killed by a high explosive shell that landed near him.
Killed alongside Albert was Private Patrick Timothy MCMAHON. (Born under the name CAVANAUGH in Queensland)
They were buried in graves North - North-West of Vermand and later exhumed and reburied in Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France