Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Albert was the son of Joseph Waters BEAGLEHOLE & Thirza HUNN and was born on the 9th of November 1885 in Norwood, SA.

His parents were married on the 20th of October 1863 in Burra, SA.

His father was the son of John BEAGLEHOLE & Margaret Jane WATERS and was born in 1843 in St Austell, Cornwall, England.
His mother was the daughter of William HUNN & Elizabeth LORD and was born in 1844 in Liskeard, Cornwall, England.

Albert was the youngest child born into the family of 10 children.

Albert was only a few years old when the family moved to Broken Hill where his father had an open cut contract on Block 11 and was later employed as a watchman at the Propriety Mine in Broken Hill.

In September 1894 his father met with an accident when a shot was fired into the face of the wall of the mine. Although it shattered it didn’t dislodge the earth and so Albert’s father began to loosen it underneath with a crowbar, when the ground broke suddenly away and before he could extricate himself a huge rock pinned him by the right arm. Dr. Evill was called and he found that the limb was so badly splintered as to render complete amputation necessary.
The operation was performed successfully at their home.

Albert was educated in Broken Hill and after he completed his schooling he gained employment as a labourer.

Military

At the age of 33, Albert enlisted into the AIF on the 7th of May 1917 in Port Pirie and allotted the service number 4881 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his brother, Joseph Claude Beaglehole, of Pt Pirie as his next of kin.

Albert was then posted to the 48th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements on the 16th of May before being transferred to the 32nd Battalion, 13th Reinforcements, on the 16th of June.
He embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Borda on the 23rd of June 1917, disembarked in Plymouth on the 25th of August and marched into the 8th Training Battalion at Hurdcott before transferring to the 15th Training Battalion in Larkhill.

He spent Christmas 1917 at Larkhill before proceeding to France on the 28th of January 1918.
Albert was taken on strength with the 48th Battalion on the 5th of February at La Clytte in Cavanagh camp and they were engaged as working and fatigue parties.
The following day they marched to Kilmarnock Station and entrained for Spoilbank and relieved the 13th Battalion and went into support and fatigue duties at Crater Dugouts.

After 7 days here they relieved the 47th Battalion at White Chateau, near Hollebeke and then they were relieved on the 20th and moved to Murrumbidgee Camp.

By the 1st of March they were in billets at Meteren and had commenced 3 weeks training.
They then moved to Senlis on the 27th of March and into the front line in the Albert Sector, before being relieved 4 days later and moving to Millencourt to be in support.
On the 4th of April they relieved the 46th Battalion in the front line near Pioneer Trench and then the following day Albert suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his buttock & thigh and was admitted into the 13th Australian Field Ambulance and then transferred to the 18th Stationary Hospital in Camiers.

Four days later he was invalided back to England and admitted into the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Wandsworth.
After spending 4 weeks here he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford on the 3rd of May.
Then on the 10th of May he was discharged to No.3 Command Depot in Hurdcott and 4 days later he neglect to obey orders and was awarded 3 days Field Punishment No.2 and forfeited 3 days pay.
During his field punishment he became ill and was admitted into the Brigade Hospital for 2 weeks.
Albert rejoined the Command Depot on the 29th of May and then on the 16th of July he suffered from a Venereal Disease and was admitted into the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Bulford for 2 days.

Albert was then discharged to the Command Depot in Parkhouse, where on the 11th of August he failed to answer the Confined to Barracks call and was awarded 48 hours detention.
Then on the 29th he was found drunk and neglected to obey orders and was awarded 48 hours detention and fined.
On the 10th of September Albert was transferred to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny where here, 9 days later, he was charged with falling out of the line of March and awarded 2 days Field Punishment No.2.

Then on the 4th of October, whilst in Warminstar, Albert was found drunk in market place and awarded 7 days Field Punishment No.2 and forfeited 7 days pay.
Two weeks after the Armistice was signed Albert was posted to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, where he spent Christmas 1918.

Albert embarked from England on the 25th of January 1919 on board HT Ceramic and 2 days later he was admitted into the ships hospital for 3 days suffering from scabies.
He disembarked in Adelaide on the 6th of March 1919.

Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 6th of April 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.