BONNIER, Albert Nelson
| Service Number: | 3023 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 37th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Poowong Great War Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Feb 1917: | Involvement Private, 3023, 37th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 1917: | Embarked Private, 3023, 37th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Melbourne |
3023 Private Albert Nelson BONNIER
Albert Nelson Bonnier was born 22 April 1885 at Alnwick, Northumberland, England, the son of Charles David Bonnier. Albert was never physically strong, he came to Australia about 1912.
After working in different warehouses in Melbourne, he eventually went to Poowong, where he took up a position with the shire of Poowong and Jeetho.
When the clarion call was made for volunteers in defence of the Empire he immediately responded, although never robust. After several attempts, to the surprise of his friends, he was accepted on 18 January 1917. He was a member of the 37th Battalion and was on the ill fated HMAT A70 Ballarat when that vessel went down and he caught a cold being in an open boat. On arrival in England he was immediately strickened with double pneumonia , and after a strenuous battle recovered.
He never got to the front line, and on being sent back to Australia on board HMAT SS Port Darwin 11 January 1918 and was discharged with Ulceration of Stomach.
Albert joined the pay staff at the Victoria Barracks. His engaging manliness and cheery good fellowship was not only a contributing factor to the success of many social functions but won him many firm friends.
His death took place at the residence of his friends OF Emily and David Johnson, 10 Farmer
street, St, Kilda on 4 July 1920 and was interred in the Brighton Cemetery at Church of England ZA Grave 1619, in the grave of the Johnson family, on Monday, July 5 1920.
Royden David Johnson, son of David and Emily who was killed in France on 18 August 1918 his name is also included on the family headstone.
Albert’s brother Charles David Bonnier was killed in France on 22 December 1916 and was buried at Longuenesse, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
Source: Great Southern Advocate [Korrumburra, Vic.] Thu 29 Jul 1920, Brighton General Cemetery Registers. Ancestry.com. The Sinking of the troopship Ballarat—https://www.awm.gov.au/
Submitted by: Brighton Cemetorians Inc
Submitted 24 December 2024 by Lois Comeadow