COTHER, Albert Edwin
| Service Number: | 2984 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 July 1915, Melbourne, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 5th Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Melbourne, Vic., 27 September 1881 |
| Home Town: | Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria |
| Schooling: | The Geelong College |
| Occupation: | Station Overseer |
| Died: | Naracoorte, South Australia, 12 April 1956, aged 74 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Naracoorte Cemetery, S.A. Section 2, Grave 360 (his wife Mary is buried in Grave 361) |
| Memorials: | Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour, Pascoe Vale War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 2984, 5th Field Company Engineers, Melbourne, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Nov 1915: | Involvement Driver, 2984, 5th Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Nov 1915: | Embarked Driver, 2984, 5th Field Company Engineers, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne |
Help us honour Albert Edwin Cother's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
COTHER, Albert Edwin MM (1881-1956)
Albert Cother was enrolled at Geelong College on 9 August 1898 as a day student and recorded as 'Albert Edward Cother' although most other sources including his birth and death registrations list him as 'Albert Edwin Cother'. His entry address was Hermitage Road, Newtown. He served in the Senior Cadets at Geelong College for 3 years. He had been born on 27 September 1881, the eldest of six children of William James Cother and Emily Leyland nee Evans.
He married Eily Mary Coghlan, and was working as a station overseer prior to his enlistment (No 2984) during World War I on 12 July 1915 in the 12 Field Company Engineers.
He embarked on HMAT A40 Ceramic on 24 November 1915 for Egypt and France, where he was awarded the Military Service Medal, gazetted 17 June 1918, the citation read:
'By his unremitting energy and great veterinary skill he has maintained the efficieny of the horse transport for the period 22 September 1917 to 24 February 1918, in spite of unfavourable weather conditions and indifferent stabling. At the same time he has kept a high standard of discipline among the Drivers, though owing to the scattered nature of Engineers work it was seldom possible to have an officer continually on duty at the horse lines.'
In February 1919 he was returned to England and trained as a wool classer at Collins and Sons and Francis Wiley and Company in Bradford. (Attestation Record) He returned to Australia, embarking on 8 September 1919.
His father, William James Cother also served at the age of 60, as a Veterinary Surgeon, in 1916, assisting on Sea Transport Duty on the voyage to Suez on HMAT A 53 Itria (see Attestation records).
Albert died on 12 April 1956 at Narracoorte, South Australia.
Source : The Geelong College - http://gnet.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au:8080/wiki/COTHER-Albert-Edwin-MM-1881-1956.ashx?HL=cother
Biography contributed by Daryl Jones
Recommendation for Meritorious Service Medal
Sergeant Albert Edwin COTHER
'For conspicuous devotion to duty. By his unremitting energy and great veterinary skill he has maintained the efficiency of the horse transport, in spite of unfavourable weather conditions and indifferent stabling. At the same time he has kept a high standard of discipline among the Drivers, though owing to the scattered nature of Engineers work it was seldom possible to have an officer continually on duty at the horse lines.
(Period, - 22-9-17 to 24-2-18)'
Lieut-Colonel,
C.R.E. 4th Australian Division
Major-General
Commanding 4th Australian Division.
Click images to start slideshow.