SMITH, Albert
| Service Number: | 1026 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 September 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Australian Machine Gun Corps |
| Born: | Uxbridge, Middlesex, England, 25 February 1889 |
| Home Town: | Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1026, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 1026, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 1026, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1026, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 8 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1026, 7th Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli | |
| 8 Jun 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, Depot Battalion , Previously in hospital for eight months with influenza and enteric fever. | |
| 9 Dec 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, Australian Machine Gun Corps , England | |
| 20 Jul 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1026, Australian Machine Gun Corps , Medically unfit (flat feet). |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
Albert Smith, known as ‘Bert’, was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex, England. He named his Sister, Mrs Emily Polley, of Acton, Middlesex, as his Next-of-Kin. ‘Bert’ was a Labourer, and had previously worked as a Cook and landsman. He had no previous military service , and stated his address to be Market Street, Eaglehawk. He was aged 25 years & 6 months when he Enlisted for the Second Expeditionary Force (11/9/14).
At Broadmeadows Camp men were being “weeded out” (i.e. rejected as unsuitable). Albert Smith was drafted into the 1st Force to fill a vacancy. He was allotted Service no. 1026 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.
‘Bert’ had been a member of the Eaglehawk Borough Band and immediately joined the newly formed 7th Battalion Band. The Band was able to use instruments donated in Melbourne and music donated from Eaglehawk. The Band played at Broadmeadows, at sea, and while the battalion was in camp in Egypt.
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915. ‘Bert’ was unscathed during the Landing and later, during the “2nd Battle of Krithia” in May, trench warfare at Steele’s Post in July, and at Lone Pine in August.
On September 13, 1915, the battalion embarked for Lemnos & marched to Sarpi Camp. The health of the men was of great concern and it was hoped for an improvement through an extended period of rest. The men were fed well, but improvement in the men’s health was very slow. On September 28, Albert Smith was sent to hospital suffering from Enteritis/Enteric fever.
He returned to duty on 8/6/16, at Bulford Depot in England. He transferred to Machine Gun Details, Grantham, England on 9/12/17. On 8/1/18 he was diagnosed with flat feet, and classified as Permanently Unfit for General Service (4/2/18) He RTA M.U. on 15/4/18, having married while in England.
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone