HART, Albert Leonard Donald
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mhow, Central India, 24 December 1876 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tramway and Railways Stores Clerk |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Belgium, 21 September 1917, aged 40 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Haymarket Men of the Railways & Tramways Store Branch Roll of Valour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Dec 1915: | Involvement 4th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Dec 1915: | Embarked 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Sydney | |
| 2 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood, Died of wounds at 10th Casualty Clearing Station in Belgium on 21st September 1917. | |
| 21 Sep 1917: | Involvement Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 4th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-09-21 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Albert Leonard Donald HART, who as an Officer in the AIF was born on Christmas Eve 1876 at Mhow, Central India. He was one of the oldest men from the NSWGR&T to serve in the war and had an unusually long career with that organisation, commencing in 1892 when he was employed as an apprentice clerk in the Eveleigh Stores. In 1899 he became a junior clerk at Randwick in the Tramway Stores Branch, a clerk in 1901 and in 1908 an Officer-in-Charge at Ultimo Tram Stores. He returned to the Railways at Eveleigh in 1912 and in May 1914 his position was described as ‘Chief Stores Assistant’. On his Attestation Papers upon enlistment he gave his calling as ‘Assistant Comptroller of Stores, NSW Government Railways’.
He left Australia through Sydney on 30 December 1915 aboard HMAT ‘Medic’. At this time he had been commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.
He was wounded in action on 2 September at Polygon Wood and died from these wounds at the 10th Casualty Clearing Station, in Belgium, on 21 September 1917. He was buried at Lyjssenhoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Submitted 4 September 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Albert Leonard Donald HART was born on Christmas Eve 1876 at Mhow, Central India. He was one of the oldest men from the NSW Government Railways and Tramways to serve in the war and had an unusually long career with that organisation, commencing in 1892 when he was employed as an apprentice clerk in the Eveleigh Stores. In 1899 he became a junior clerk at Randwick in the Tramway Stores Branch. He became a clerk in 1901 and in 1908 an Officer-in-Charge at Ultimo Tram Stores. He returned to the Railways at Eveleigh in 1912 and in May 1914 his position was described as ‘Chief Stores Assistant’. On his Attestation Papers upon enlistment he gave his calling as ‘Assistant Comptroller of Stores, NSW Government Railways’, though this may have been overstating his position somewhat.
He sought six months’ leave on full pay to join the Expeditionary Force. Plainly with his more than 20-year career behind him he may have been more entitled to leave than most, and with army pay would have received two wages. The six months request may also reflect the expectation of the time as to the likely duration of the war. The request for leave was declined with the advice that he could volunteer under the same pay conditions as everyone else – that the Department would pay the difference between army pay and the pay due had his railway service continued. Despite unsuccessfully appealing for reconsideration of his proposal, he was granted leave to join the AIF (under standard conditions) on 16th May 1915. He enlisted on 16th June 1917.
He left Australia from Sydney on 30th December 1915 aboard HMAT ‘Medic’. At this time he had been commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, presumably based on his age, work experience and training since enlistment. He disembarked at Alexandria (Egypt) on 7th January 1916 and three months later re-embarked for Marseilles (France) and the Western Front. He was granted a short furlough in England and was taken on the strength of the 4th Battalion in France on 22nd July 1916. In August he received a shrapnel wound to his neck and face and was evacuated to England. He returned to France in October.
In December 1916 he was promoted to Lieutenant and went to England for training at the Grenade School and in Anti-Gas Measures. He became qualified as an instructor in these skills. In August 1917 he returned to France and the 4th Battalion,
He was wounded in action on 2nd September at Polygon Wood. He died from these wounds at the 10th Casualty Clearing Station, in Belgium, on 21st September 1917. He was buried at Lyjssenhoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Hart left a widow, Clarissa and children Frederick Meralles, Stella Clarissa and Ruth Eleanor.
In 1948 the military authorities were contacted by a psychic researcher, Mr Ronald Rose of Ocean Street, Narrabeen. Rose claimed to have made contact with Hart through a medium at a séance. Rose supplied details, allegedly supplied by Hart, including his name, rank, unit, birthdate, details of fatal injuries, home address, wife and two children’s names and so on. He sought confirmation of these facts by the army as part of ongoing research. The details supplied were highly accurate, though their real source was unknown. Perhaps the medium had read the files in the National Archives of Australia? The army declined to confirm the details, citing the records as confidential and privileged.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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