BROADBENT, Albert George
| Service Numbers: | 2838, 2838A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 April 1916, Place of enlistment - Dowerin, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Cherry Gardens, Adelaide South Australia, 1879 |
| Home Town: | Dowerin, Dowerin, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Cherry Gardens Public School |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer, Well Sinker and Miner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 10 May 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Vaulx Hill Cemetery Plot I, Row G, Grave 10), Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Vaulx, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cherry Gardens Uniting Church WW1 Memorial Stained Glass Window, Cherry Gardens WW1 Memorial, Cherry Gardens WW1 Roll of Honour, Dowerin War Memorial, Southern Cross Christ Church Honour Roll, Southern Cross Honour Roll, Southern Cross War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2838, Place of enlistment - Dowerin, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sapper, Tunnelling Companies | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 5th Pioneer Battalion | |
| 28 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2838, Reinforcements WW1, Embarked on HMAT 'A16' Port Melbourne from Fremantle --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Melbourne embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 10 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2838A, 5th Pioneer Battalion, On the night of 9/10 May 1917 and during the following day, while the Second Battle of Bullecourt raged nearby, artillery shells hit the camp, including one shell that made a direct hit on one of the 'Don' Company tents. That single shell killed 12 members of 'Don' Company and wounded a further 23. One of those killed was Albert Broadbent. --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2838A awm_unit: 5 Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-05-10 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Albert Broadbent enlisted for the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) on the 3rd April, 1916, at Southern Cross in Western Australia. His Regimental number was 2838A and he joined the 5th Australian Pioneer Infantry Battalion (6th reinforcements). This Battalion was part of the Engineers deployment and was involved in a lot of construction work with train lines, trenches, communications and other infrastructure required in support of the war.
His parents were Mr A. and Agnes Broadbent who were from Cherry Gardens but living in Southern Cross, Western Australia, at that time. Albert was single and 36 years 10 months of age when he enlisted and had a fair complexion with grey eyes and dark hair. Albert had a scar on the left side of his chin and left side of his neck and his occupation was a farm labourer. He was 5’ 10 ½ inches tall and weighed 145lbs. Albert had his medical at Dowerin in Western Australia the 4th March, 1916, and on his medical history it was noted that Albert had good eyesight and two vaccination scars on his left arm. His teeth were in good condition with just a slight dental defect noted. Albert’s religious denomination was Methodist. Albert embarked for the war on the 28th October, 1916, on the Port
Melbourne out of Fremantle arriving in Devonport, England on 28th December 1916. He remained in England until the 28th February 1917 when he proceeded overseas to France on the S.S. Golden Eagle disembarking at Estaples. He was taken on strength on the 7th March 1917 and was sent to the front almost immediately. Albert had been in serving in France for only 2 months when he was killed in action on 10th May 1917. Albert’s battalion had received orders to move out to Vaulz on the 8th May and had marched and travelled by light train there over the next couple of days from Fricourt Farm where they had been resting and training. On May 10th the Germans were shelling a couple of the Battalion companies and Albert would have been killed either when a shell landed in the tent he was resting in or while working on a communications trench at Noreuil near the Hindenberg Line. Albert’s only personal effects were his identity disc, a mirror, 2 combs, a belt, a wallet with a water-proof cover, some letters, cards, and a few photos and these were returned to his parents back in Australia around March of 1918.
https://www.cherrychatter.org.au/Fallen%20Heroes%20of%20Cherry%20Gardens.pdf
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