P5964
PERRY, Albert
| Service Number: | 5176 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Pittenween, near Kadina, South Australia, 10 January 1879 |
| Home Town: | Kadina, Copper Coast, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Heart Failure, Paskeville, South Australia, 30 May 1929, aged 50 years |
| Cemetery: |
Kadina Cemetery, South Australia Path 25, Block 70S |
| Memorials: | Kadina & District WW1 Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 5176, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 5176, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 5176, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Adelaide | |
| 13 Apr 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 5176, 10th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Albert Perry's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Albert was the son of Abraham PERRY & Mary Grace COOMBE and was born on the 10th of January 1879 in Pittenween, near Kadina, SA.
Both his parents were in their early 40’s when he was born.
His parents were married in 1866 in Tavistock, Devon, England.
His father was born in 1839 in England.
His mother was the daughter of William COOMBE & Elizabeth WILLS and was born on the 23rd of June 1838 in Cornwall, England.
Albert was the sixth child born into this family of 9 children.
His father was a Copper Miner and on the 3rd of June 1877 his parents and younger siblings had embarked from Plymouth on board the Oaklands.
His mother was 7 months pregnant at the time and she gave birth to a little girl; Geneva, on the voyage on the 3rd of August 1877.
They arrived in South Australia on the 9th of September 1877 and had moved to Kadina where his father gained employment as a miner in the Doora Mine, 2 miles south of Wallaroo, and the family lived in a little township that had sprung up near the mine called Pittenween.
His little brother Alfred died at Pittenweem on the 10th of May 1880 and they buried him in the Kadina Cemetery; Path 18, Block 28.
The following year Albert would have been excited when he mother gave birth to a little brother for him; Alfred, but sadly he only lived for 3 hours and they buried him in the Kadina Cemetery with Alfred.
Albert was only 6 years old when his father died in Doora Mine on the 4th of November 1885 and they buried him in the Kadina Cemetery; Path 9, Block 42.
Arthur died the following year on the 4th of December 1886 and they buried him with Albert’s father.
Albert later gained employment as a miner.
Unfortunately his sister Jessie then died on the 29th of December 1905 in Kadina and they buried her in the Kadina Cemetery; Path 35 Block 67n.
His brother William had moved to Kalgoorlie and was employed as a miner. William enlisted into the Mining Corps, 3rd Company, on the 27th of November 1915 in Kalgoorlie and was allotted the service number 1123.
At the age of 36, Albert enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 26th of January 1916 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 5176 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp. He was then transferred to the 10th Battalion, 17th Reinforcements.
His brother William then embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on the 20th of February 1916.
Albert and embarked from Adelaide for Egypt on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916.
He served overseas for nearly 3 years and was wounded twice.
His brother William died of wounds, he accidentally received, on the 29th of October 1916 in the London Casualty Clearing Station, in the field in France.
William suffered a Bayonet thrust wound to his abdomen by a soldier of the 8th Middlesex Regiment. No further action was taken.
Sadly, whilst he was in England his mother died on the 21st of August 1918 in Kadina and was buried in the Kadina Cemetery with his sister Jessie.
Albert embarked from England on board HT Aeneas on the 18th of December 1918, spending Christmas on board the ship before disembarking in Adelaide on the 13th of February 1919.
Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 13th of April 1919 and returned to Kadina and he gained employment with Mr William George DREWETT of Paskeville.
Albert gained employment with Mr William George DREWETT of Paskeville
Albert died of heart failure during his sleep on Thursday the 30th of May 1929 at the residence of Mr William George DREWETT of Paskeville and was buried in the Kadina Cemetery; Path 25, Block 70S.
His funeral took place at Kadina the following day with Adjutant (rank above Captain) Peek, of the Salvation Army officiating at the gravesite.
Military
At the age of 36, Albert enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 26th of January 1916 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 5176 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp
He listed his mother, of Wallaroo Mines, as his next of kin.
On the 16th of February he was posted the 10th Battalion, 17th Reinforcements at Mitcham Camp and 1 month later on the 16th of March he was transferred to the 10th Battalion, 16th Reinforcements.
Albert embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916, disembarked in Egypt and marched into the rd Training Battalion in Tel-el-Kebir.
The following month he was admitted into the 2nd Australian General Hospital in Tel-el-Kebir.
With the AIF units moving to France Albert and the entire 3rd Training Battalion was then transferred to Perham Downs, England to continue their training.
On the 25th of July Albert was admitted into the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Bulford suffering from Venereal Disease.
He was discharged from hospital on the 15th of September and proceeded to France 2 weeks later on the 29th of September.
Albert was then transferred to the 32nd Battalion and was taken on strength with them on the 13th of October who were at their billets in Armentieres.
Two days later they moved to Strazeele and then onto Bailleul and Buire before arriving at Mametz Wood on the 21st of October.
On the 28th of October they moved to Factory House and relieved the 31st Battalion in the front line in Scabbard & Crest Trench.
They came under heavy shelling here and on the 2nd of November Albert suffered multiple Gun Shot Wounds to his head & face and was then buried when a shell exploded close to him.
He was transferred to the to 38th Casualty Clearing Station in Heilly and then transferred and admitted into the 9th General Hospital in Rouen 2 days later.
On the 7th of November he was evacuated to England and admitted into the Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D) Hospital in Exeter.
Albert remained here for 4 weeks and was then transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary in Harefield on the 11th of December.
The following day he was granted 2 weeks furlo and was lucky to be on leave in England for Christmas 1916.
Albert reported in to No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs on the 30th of December and after 5 weeks here he was transferred to the Draft Depot in preparation to return to France.
On the 13th of March 1917 he proceeded back to France and was transferred to the 10th Battalion at Shelter Wood Camp, near Mametz Wood.
On the 22nd of March they moved to Bresle and they then marched to Fricourt and relieved the Battalion in the front line on the 5th of April.
Two days later they moved into the front line at Longueval until they were relieved by the 7th Battalion on the 16th and moved to Lebucqiere and then to Bancourt on the 25th and were employed on fatigue duty.
By early May they moved into the Hindenburg front line in the Bullecourt-Riencourt area and then they moved to Noreuil on the 5th.
During the attack near Noreuil on the 9th of May Albert suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his neck & right shoulder and was evacuated by the 5th Field Ambulance to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station at Grévillers.
He was then transferred the following day and admitted into the 2nd Australian General Hospital in Wimereux.
Albert spent nearly 3 weeks here before he was transferred to No.1 Convalescent Depot in Wimereux on the 29th of May.
He was then transferred to Base Depot in Le Havre 4 days later and remained here until the 18th of June when he was transferred back to England to No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs.
On the 26th of June he was transferred to the 12th Training Battalion in Codford and on the 16th of July he attended a cold shoeing course at Romsey before returning to the 12th Training Battalion.
Albert by this stage Albert was suffering from nervous tremors due being buried alive a couple of time from shell explosions so remained here.
Christmas 1917 here and Albert was still here when the Armistice was signed on the 11th of November 1918.
The following month he was transferred to No.4 Command Depot on the 4th of December for return to Australia.
Albert embarked from England on board HT Aeneas on the 18th of December 1918, spending Christmas on board the ship before disembarking in Adelaide on the 13th of February 1919.
When he arrived he was admitted into 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick for 2 days before being transferred to the 15th Australian General Hospital at Torrens Park and was diagnosed with Neurasthenia.
Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 13th of April 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.