Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Albert Edward Halstead M C Captain 42nd Battalion
The memorial Plaque of the Coorparoo Methodist Church lists an H. Halstead. The Roll of Honour of the Australian War Memorial lists only two Halsteads, neither of which have the initial H. The name of Halstead is perhaps of some significance in the Coorparoo district (the former Shire Hall is on the corner of Halstead Street and Cavendish Road) and it is possible that the name was placed on the church memorial plaque by a family member who knew Albert Halstead by another name, or nickname. It is also possible that the family lived for a time in the district. On the basis of this tenuous association, Albert Halstead is included in this narrative.
Albert Halstead was born in August 1887. On his application for a commission in the AIF Albert reported that he attended school at East Brisbane up to the end of 6th class (probably the scholarship examination). He stated that his occupation was wool classer and shearing overseer. Albert’s father, Lieutenant Colonel C.H. Halstead, who held a commission in the Citizens Forces was the officer in charge of the Army Cadet Scheme in Queensland and Albert himself had held a commission in the Senior Cadets. At the time of enlistment in September 1915, Albert was 29 years old and single, although soon after enlistment he wrote to his commanding officer to inform him that he had married Jesse Halstead on 25th September. Jesse it would appear lived with Albert’s parents at Ellis Street, Kangaroo Point.
Albert was granted a commission as a Lieutenant in the 31st Battalion and proceeded to Melbourne to embark for Egypt in late 1915, however due to illness he returned to Brisbane where he was reposted to the 42nd Battalion in March 1916. The 42nd Battalion was part of the 11th brigade of the 3rd Division AIF. Unlike the other four Australian Divisions that had been created in early 1916, the 3rd Division spent time in England for further training under Divisional Commander John Monash. Albert arrived in Southampton in July 1916 and after four months training on Salisbury Plain, he was sent with the battalion to France.
The 3rd Division were deployed in the area of the French/ Belgian border and in January of 1917, Albert was promoted to the rank of Captain. He was now Company Commander of “B” Company. The 42nd Battalion were deployed along with the rest of the 3rd Division to the front in the Ypres salient in preparation for the planned advance in that sector which Haig; the British Supreme Commander, hoped would open the way to the Belgian ports and thus win the war. The opening of this offensive was to be a set piece battle against the Messines Ridge on June 7th 1917. The plan called for 19 mines to be exploded under the German lines after an artillery bombardment requiring 3 and a half million shells; followed by an infantry advance of some 6000 yards. The attack was a success, due primarily to the devastating effect of the mines which completely demoralised the German defenders.
One week after the Messines offensive began, Albert was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station suffering from exhaustion and the effects of gas, but four days later he was back with his unit. On the 31 July 1917, as a follow up to Messines, the 42nd Battalion as part of the 11th Brigade, attacked a trench line just east of Messines at Warneton. Capt. Albert Halstead distinguished himself by the leadership he displayed there, despite the battalion suffering 210 casualties (from a strength of around 800).
In September 1917, the war was beginning to take its toll on Albert’s health and he spent 10 days in the Officer’s Rest Home before returning to his unit in time for the attack at Broodseinde Ridge, just south of Passchendaele. As result of his actions at Broodseinde and previously at Warneton, Albert was recommended for the Military Cross. The Military Cross was the second highest award for gallantry, preceded only by the Victoria Cross ( which by 1917 were not being awarded as often as they had been in 194/15).
Albert was granted a furlough of two weeks in November 1917 followed by a further two week furlough in England in February 1918. This is a clear indication of the emotional and physical strain the constant fighting was causing amongst junior officers who were expected to lead men in battle. Perhaps rested but not recovered, Albert returned to his Unit on 1st March 1918.
On 21 March 1918, Ludendorff (Supreme German Commander in the Field) launched his final gamble to break the stalemate on the Western Front. The timing was critical as the Germans had a number of divisions available after the collapse of the Eastern Front which were hastily transferred to the Western Front. The operation needed to succeed before General Pershing’s U.S. Forces, which were arriving on the Western Front, could be deployed and swing the course of the war in the allies favour. Operation Michael caught the British Forces in the Somme by surprise with the speed and efficiency of the advance and the gains of 1916/ 17 along the Peronne- Amiens axis were quickly surrendered by Gough’s forces. By early April, the Germans had almost reached the vital rail junction of Amiens. To halt the advance, first the 3rd and then the 4th Australian Divisions were rushed into the line at the junction of the Somme and Ancre Rivers around Sailly Le Sec.
The 42nd Battalion war diary records that on 16th April: “Early in the morning the Hun commenced an area shoot after (artillery) batteries in the vicinity of the battalion; this continued throughout the day and during an intense five minutes in the early evening, Captain Halstead was killed on his way to Battalion HQ. He was an original company commander and his demise was keenly felt by all.”
There are extensive records of interviews conducted by the Red Cross with witnesses to the event described above. All mention that the artillery was very intense and that Capt, Halstead was moving from Company HQ to Battalion HQ when he was hit by a piece of high explosive shell, killing him instantly.
Albert was buried close to where he fell in the Bonnay Communal Cemetery Extension and his personal effects (including an unloaded German automatic pistol and photographic equipment) were returned to his wife. The award of the Military Cross was promulgated posthumously four days before the armistice.
Albert’s widow; Jesse, moved to Darlinghurst NSW in the 1920s where she received Albert’s Victory and Empire Medals. She requested that the Military Cross be sent to Albert’s father at Kangaroo Point.