Albert Edward LINNETT

LINNETT, Albert Edward

Service Number: 553
Enlisted: 1 June 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 4th Machine Gun Company
Born: Red Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 14 June 1886
Home Town: Maleny, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Died of wounds, Polygon Wood, France, Belgium, 24 September 1917, aged 31 years
Cemetery: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Plot XIX, Row C, Grave No. 7, Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Lijssenthoek, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Caloundra Shire of Landsborough WW1 Roll of Honour, Maleny RSL War Memorial, Maleny Witta & District Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

1 Jun 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 553, 4th Machine Gun Company
6 Dec 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 553, 4th Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: ''
30 Jul 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 553, 4th Machine Gun Company, Third Ypres
20 Sep 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 553, 4th Machine Gun Company, Menin Road, "He was on a barrage (machine) gun when they attacked at Polygon Wood. A shell came over and wounded him so severely that he died shortly afterwards." Eye witness report

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Biography contributed by Steve Larkins

Albert Edwad Linnett resided with his Aunt,  Mrs M Quince, Maleny via Landsborough, Queensland, at the time of his enlistment.  She is described as his foster mother, and a pension was subsequently assigned to her.  He was born to James and Mary LINNETT. of Red Hill, Brisbane.

He enlisted in the 9th reinforcements of the 4th Machine Gun Company and embarked in December 1916.

He was subsequently deployed in the Battle of Menin Road, which began east of Ypres on 20 September 1917.  The attack exploited into the western end of Polygon Wood the clearance and capture of which would become the objective of another battle on 25th September

4th Machine Gun Company had its Vickers Machine guns deployed providing covering fire.  A German counter attack occurred on 24 September.  An eye witness described what happened "He was on a barrage gun when they attacked at Polygon Wood. A shell came over and wounded him so severely that he died shortly afterwards."  He was evacuated to the vicinity pf Popperinge where he died of his wounds.

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