PARKER, Albert
| Other Name: | Parker, Albert James - Grave Marker |
|---|---|
| Service Number: | 604 |
| Enlisted: | 5 September 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Oulnina Sheep Station, near Mannahill, South Australia, 17 July 1892 |
| Home Town: | Broken Hill, Broken Hill Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Well Sinking Accident, Boolcoomatta Station, South Australia , 9 January 1927, aged 34 years |
| Cemetery: |
Olary General Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Olary Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 604, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 604, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 604, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Hobart | |
| 23 Oct 1915: | Discharged AIF WW1, 604, 12th Infantry Battalion, Deserted on 23.10.1915 | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 604, 12th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Albert Parker'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 William Edwin PARKER & Amelia Frances LAVIS and was born on the 17th of July 1892 on Oulnina Sheep Station, near Mannahill, SA.
His parents were married on the 2nd of May 1882 in Quorn, SA.
His father was the son of James Titmouse PARKER & Elizabeth MAPHAM and was born on the 19th of June 1858 in Clare, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Walter Mason LAVIS & Ellen MAYNARD and was born on the 12th of September 1867 in Clare, SA.
Albert was the sixth child born into this family of 8 children.
His father was a miner and the family had moved to Oulnina Sheep Station as gold had been found there in 1885.
When Albert was 2 years old they moved to Oodla Wirra in 1894.
On the 16th of September 1895 his mother deserted the family at Oodla Wirra and they never heard from her again. Albert was just 3 years old at the time.
She must have moved to Gawler as on the 1st of December 1896 she gave birth to Albert’s youngest sister, Doris, but Doris died 6 months later in Gawler.
Albert’s father then moved the family to Broken Hill, NSW and on the 16th of May 1900 he successfully applied for a divorce from Albert’s mother.
On leaving school Albert became a miner.
Albert, aged 22 and his younger brother Walter, aged 20, decided to enlist into the AIF.
So on the 5th of September 1914 at Morphettville Camp, Walter was allotted the service number 603 and Albert was allotted the service number 604.
They were both posted to newly raised 12th Battalion, E Company, in Pontville Camp, TAS.
Albert listed their brother, William, of the Adelaide Post Office, his next of kin and Walter lister their sister, Mrs Phoebe MILLMAN, of O’Farrell Street, West Broken Hill, as his next of kin.
They commenced training at Morphettville Camp and then entrained for Melbourne on the 21st of September and then embarked for Tasmania on board HMAT A2 Geelong on the 17th of September 1914 and disembarked on the 26th.
At Pontville Camp they were posted to C Company.
They marched through Hobart on the 4th of October and embarked from Hobart on board HMAT A2 Geelong on the 20th of October 1914 at 4pm.
They disembarked in Alexandria on the 10th of December and entrained to Mena Camp, near Cairo.
Christmas 1914 was spent here and then on the 1st of January 1915 Albert suffered from Lobar Pneumonia in his right lung and was admitted into the 2nd Australian General Hospital.
Albert spent the next 2 months here before being discharged on the 4th of March and recommended for return to Australia.
Whilst he was in hospital his Battalion received their orders on the 27th of February that they were to embark from Alexandria on the 1st of March for an unknown destination. Walter and the 12th Battalion embarked on board HMT Devanha and after 3 days at sea they arrived at Lemnos Island and anchored off Port Mudros.
They were one of the first Battalion’s to land at Gallipoli on the 25th of April and Walter suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his left wrist and was evacuated to the 1st General Hospital in Heliopolis.
Albert embarked from Suez, 3 days later, on the 28th of April 1915 on board HMAT Suevic, disembarked in Melbourne on the 24th of May and was admitted into the Military Convalescent Hospital in Osborne House, North Geelong.
After a month here he was entrained to Adelaide and admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick.
Albert was discharged to duty on the 21st of October, but 2 days later he deserted and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
His brother Walter was invalided back to Australia and disembarked on the 26th of November 1915.
Albert then headed to Burra to work on the mines.
On the 5th of January 1916 his elder brother, William John Booth, enlisted into the AIF and was allotted the service number 5424 and posted to the 10th Battalion.
Albert married Evelyn Grace LIVELY on the 4th of October 1916 at the residence of Evelyn’s parents, Lux Mine, Burra, SA.
Evelyn was the daughter of John LIVELY & Eliza MARVELL and was born on the 24th of August 1897 in Beaconsfield, TAS.
They moved to Broken Hill where Albert gained employment as a miner and they welcomed their first child; Albert James, on the 2nd of April 1919.
By 1921 they had moved to Peterborough where Elsie Mavis was born on the 29th of July 1921.
Albert then became a well sinker with his 2 brother’s in-law, H and A LIVELY and they moved to Olary where Roma Laurel was born on the 14th of March 1923 and then Laurel Joyce.
On Sunday morning, the 9th of January 1927, Albert and his brother’s in-law were well sinking on Boolcoomatta Station when Albert went down to clear away the debris from the last explosion.
The rope broke when the first bucket had almost landed and the full load crashed from 50 feet upon the head of Albert.
Albert died about half an hour afterwards.
An enquiry was held by Mr. Moore, of Cockburn, who, with Mounted-Constable Provis, of the Cockburn police, had motored to the scene when notified, and thus arrangements were made for Albert’s funeral to take place at Olary on Monday afternoon.
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