97923
TREVENA, Albert Walter
| Service Number: | 1665 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Quorn, South Australia, 24 February 1888 |
| Home Town: | Bald Hills, Yankalilla, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Jamestown School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Bald Hills, South Australia, 18 October 1936, aged 48 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Yankalilla Public Cemetery, S.A. Row V, Plot 117 |
| Memorials: | Mount Compass - Nangkita Districts Honour Roll, Victor Harbor Congregational Church Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 1665, 3rd Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 1665, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 1665, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement 1665, 3rd Light Horse Regiment | |
| 19 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 1665, 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
Help us honour Albert Walter Trevena'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 Thomas Hutchance TREVENA & Amelia MENHENETT and was born on the 24th of February 1888 in Quorn, SA.
His parents were married on the 25th of July 1883 at the residence of Amelia’s mother near Kapunda, SA.
His father was the son of Walter TREVENA & Elizabeth HUTHNANCE and was born on the 10th of July 1860 in Hawkers Creek, Kapunda, SA.
His mother was the daughter of William Henry MENHENNETT & Eliza Jane BAWDEN and was born on the 9th of February 1859 in Kapunda, SA.
Albert was the third child born into this family of 7 children.
His father was a wheelwright employed by Messrs Mellor Brothers in Quorn and in 1893 the family was transferred to Jamestown where he father became the manager.
Albert and his siblings attended the Jamestown Primary School
Sadly his little brother Norman died from Diphtheria on the 9th of December 1897 and they buried him in the Jamestown Cemetery.
By 1914 the family moved to Mt Compass and his father took up a farm and became a Gardener and Albert helped on the farm.
At the age of 27, Albert enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 1st of September 1915 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 1665 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp. He was then transferred to the 3rd Light Horse, 12th Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp.
In October the residence of Mt Compass tendered a farewell social in the local hall for Albert and 6 other young soldiers.
Albert embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A2 Geelong on the 18th of November 1915 for Egypt.
His brother William enlisted into the AIF on the 1st of December 1915 and was allotted the service number 2430 and posted to the 32nd Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.
William embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Mongolia on the 9th of March 1916.
After 3 and ½ years in Egypt, Albert embarked from Kantara, Egypt on board HT Orari on the 16th of May 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 23rd of June.
Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 19th of August 1919.
During the time he was overseas his parents moved to Essex Street, Goodwood and he never saw his mother again as she mother died on the 18th of September 1918 and the family buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery.
Albert moved in with his father and gained employment as a driver.
His father died 4 months after Albert had returned, on the 14th of October 1919 and they buried him with their mother.
Albert married Ada Winifred ALSON nee PAYNE on the 15th of April 1922 in Clarence Park, SA.
Ada was the daughter of Frederick PAYNE & Sarah Christina SMITH and was born on the 28th of December 1884 in Willowie, SA.
Ada was previously married to Alexander Basil ALON on the 23rd of June 1910 in New Parkside, SA.
They had 2 children; Gladys Ethel & Doris Edna, before Alexander enlisted into the 10th Battalion, 9th Reinforcements on the 29th of June 1915 (2992). Their son; Basil Alexander was then born when Alexander was on board the troopship.
He was transferred to the 50th Battalion, D Company and was Killed in Action on the 16th of August 1916 at Mouquet Farm.
At the time of their marriage Ada was living at 11 Clifton Street, Millswood, which she sold 2 years later.
On the 18th of February 1924 Albert secure a Soldier Settlement Block; Sections 20, 190 & 387, Hundred of Yankalilla in the area known as Bald Hills.
It was located on the Inman Valley Road, now 2312.
Just before they moved to Bald Hills they welcomed their only child; Arthur William, on the 13th of April 1924.
Albert turned his hand to being a Gardener and breeding Merino Sheep and would quite often claim Champion Merino Sheep at the Yankalilla Show.
In April 1929 they purchased Sections 262 & 263, containing 28 acres.
On the 1st of October 1934 Albert’s step-son, Basil, enlisted into the RAN (20372).
Albert died on the 18th of October 1936 at his home at Bald Hills and was buried in the Yankalilla Cemetery on the 18th; Row V, Plot 117.
Ada sold the farm in 1939 and moved to 4a Jervois Street, Torrensville.
With the outbreak of WW2 their son Arthur enlisted into the 2/10th Commando Squadron (SX30756) on the 3rd of May 1943.
Ada died on the 14th of July 1963 in Daw Park.
Military
At the age of 27, Albert enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 1st of September 1915 in Adelaide and allotted the service number 1665 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp.
He listed his mother, of Mt Compass, as his next of kin.
On the 16th of September he was transferred to E Company, Light Horse and then on the 1st of October Albert was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse, 12th Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp.
Albert embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A2 Geelong on the 18th of November 1915, disembarked in Port Suez on the 18th of December and marched into Heliopolis Camp.
Here Albert spent Christmas 1915 and continued training until the 1st of March 1916 when he was transferred to the 1st Light Horse Reserve Detail in Heliopolis.
After a further 3 months with the reserves Albert was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, C Squadron, who were located in camp at Romani.
The 3rd Light Horse Regiment were responsible for the defence of the Suez Canal from raiding Senussi Arabs.
On the 4th of August 1916, they fought in the Battle of Romani, before being withdrawn to rest and refit.
On the 20th of September Albert was attached to Base Headquarters in Romani as a groom to Captain William James Bennett for 2 weeks before rejoining his Regiment in Kantara.
They then rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and were subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier; Maghdaba on the 23rd of December 1916 and then Rafa on the 9th of January 1917.
A stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai followed before their next major engagement, which was the abortive second battle of Gaza on the 19th of April.
Albert and his Regiment were then involved in reconnaissance and patrols and by May they had moved to Shellal and then to Heseia, near Sausage Ridge.
They then spent June in the vicinity of El Kebir and Kazar before moving onto Tel-el-Fukhari and Ghabi in July.
By August they had moved to Shauth, Marakeb by September and then onto Rafa Beach Rest Camp by October.
Here at Rafa Albert became ill with Malaria on the 23rd of October and was transferred to Esani, 20 kms west of Beersheba.
The following day he was transferred to the 76th Casualty Clearing Station and then transferred by Hospital Train to the 44th Stationary Hospital in Kantara.
On the 26th of October Albert was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia.
After 2 months here, including Christmas Day 1917, he was discharged to the Port Said Rest Camp on the 27th of December.
Albert was still here on the 16th of January 1918 when he became ill with Pyrexia (fever) and was admitted into the 31st General Hospital in Port Said.
He was then transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia on the 28th of January where he remained for a further 4 weeks before being discharged back to Port Said Rest Camp.
On the 27th of March Albert was posted to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar and after a further 6 weeks he rejoined his Regiment on the 10th of May in Jericho.
They were then involved in the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on the 14th of July 1918.
The final British offensive of the campaign was launched along the Mediterranean coast on the 19th of September 1918, with the ANZAC Mounted Division taking part in a subsidiary effort east of the Jordan aimed at Amman.
By October they had moved to Kissir and on the 6th Albert became ill again with Malaria and was admitted into the ANZAC Receiving Station before being transferred to the 36th Stationary Hospital in Mahemdia on the 13th.
Two days later he was transferred to the 24th Stationary Hospital in Kantara and after a further 2 days here he was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia.
Albert spent Christmas 1918 here before being discharged to 1st Brigade Details in Moascar on the 27th of December. He was then posted to the Central Training Depot in Moascar on the 30th of January 1919 for 9 days before returning to 1st Brigade Details.
Two days later Albert rejoined his Regiment in Rafa Camp where they continued training and held sports.
On the 26th of March the Regiment moved to Divisional Headquarters in Kantara and were assigned to duty troop for 2 weeks before moving to Ghizereh on the 8th of April awaiting their embarkation home to Australia.
Albert embarked from Kantara, Egypt on board HT Orari on the 16th of May 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 23rd of June.
Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 19th of August 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.