BIRD, Albert William
| Service Numbers: | 508, R508 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 February 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hindmarsh, South Australia, Australia, 16 July 1891 |
| Home Town: | Lockleys, City of West Torrens, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Thebarton Protestant School, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 5 November 1916, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
AIF Burial Ground, Grass Lane, Flers, France AIF Burial Ground, Flers, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 508, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 31 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 508, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1 | |
| 24 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, R508, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Bulla embarkation_ship_number: A45 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Jun 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, R508, 27th Infantry Battalion, 'The Winter Offensive' - Flers/Gueudecourt winter of 1916/17, HMAT Bulla, Adelaide |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Denise D Ancona
Albert William Bird was born at Lockleys, South Australia. He enlisted on the 17th February 1915 at 23 years of age. He served in the 27th Battalion, 13th reinforcement from 1915-1918. During this time, he was ranked as a private. The 27th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. At first, it was raised in 1915 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I.
During the conflict, the battalion saw action briefly at Gallipoli before later fighting on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918. The Battalion's last battle was fought as they tried to break through the Beaurevoir Line in the first week of October 1918, but it was not dispersed until 4 June 1919. The 13th Battalion AIF was made from late September 1914, six weeks after the start of the First World War. The battalion, with the 14th, 15th and 16th Battalions made the 4th Brigade, led by Colonel John Monash.
Albert, William Bird died on the 5th November 1916, aged 25 years. Before his death, Bird was recorded as ‘missing’. Bird was killed by a fragment of an artillery shell containing metal balls, made to explode in the air above enemy troops. An informant stated that on Nov. 5th, 1916 at Pozieres, Bird went over the parapet of the trench with him, and was killed by a fragment of shell. The informant saw Bird fall, and was afterwards told of his death by Lieut. Campbell of the same (D) company.
A letter was sent to his only living relative, his mother, regarding how, when and where Bird died.
Biography
His Brother, Private 3042 Charles Wilson Bird of the the 12th Battalion was killed in action on 27 February 1917.
Sons of Wilson BIRD and Annie Louisa nee CAUDLE
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