DAWE, Albert Leslie
| Service Numbers: | 5330, S70086 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 June 1916, Broken Hill, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Broken Hill, NSW, 22 February 1891 |
| Home Town: | Fullarton, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Fitter & turner |
| Died: | Cancer, North Adelaide, South Australia, 6 December 1957, aged 66 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia RSL Walls |
| Memorials: | Broken Hill Barrier District Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Broken Hill, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5330, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5330, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Adelaide |
World War 2 Service
| 26 Mar 1942: | Involvement Corporal, S70086 | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, S70086 | |
| 26 Mar 1942: | Enlisted Adelaide, SA | |
| 3 Oct 1945: | Discharged |
World War 1 Service
| Date unknown: | Wounded 5330, 27th Infantry Battalion |
|---|
A poem I wrote for my grandfather
What would we say to Albert
A Broken Hill boy born in February, 1891
To Fred and Janet Anne a fine young son
As he grew up did he know one day
His Life would include living on Army pay
Not much is known about what happened at school
But I am assured that he was no fool
Dad was a Mine Manager and he was a Fitter
We hope his war service didn’t leave him at all bitter
Leaving our shores at age twenty five
Was it an adventure, so good to be alive
August 12 he was aboard the Ballarat
A uniform, a coat, backpack and a tin hat
Part of the 27th he and his new mates
He was hoping this would ‘t lead to the pearly gates
It’ll be alright cause he won’t be gone long
Surely he’ll be back to sing those Christmas songs
Wounded, sent to England and back to the front twice
Over two years later returning home would be nice
The things that he saw surely would haunt him forever
He had to get home, never say never
It was August 1918 in the early morning
I am sure he didn’t know and it came without warning
This day near Amiens in the fields of France
He would run up that hill while taking a chance
By taking the lead the rest could move on
Hopefully no loss of mates and enemy gone
It was like riding flat out on his bike with his foot on the pedal Sure he’d do it again and not for the medal
So what would we say to Albert if he were here today
There is nothing else we could say
Thank you for you sacrifice and service,
You and your mates.
Submitted 25 July 2016 by Andrew Dawe
Biography contributed by Kathleen Bambridge
Albert Dawe was awarded his Military Medal by General Birdwood (UK) on his visit to Adelaide on 6 March 1920.
Biography
Albert Leslie Dawe was my grandfather and died in 1957 when I was young and before I was able to get know him as a person. He was born to Fred and Janet Dawe in Broken Hill. His father was a Mine Manager and Albert became a Fitter and Turner for one of the Mines. He left Adelaide on the "Ballarat" on the 12th of August, 1916 as a Private in the 27th Battalion, 14 re-inforcements aged 25.
On the morning of the 8th of August,1918 south of WARFUSEE ABANCOURT near AMIENS he showed great courage storming a machine gun nest. After killing 3 of the crew the rest of his comrades could advance. Albert received the Military Medal. His rank from the Nominal Roll is shown as Corporal. Over 2 years at the front saw him wounded twice and sent to England to recover. When he had mended he was sent back on both of these occassions.
He returned home on August the 4th of June, 1919 nearly 28 years of age and still single. Had he been killed he wouldn't have married my grandmother, had my father and I wouldn't be here. He also did his bit during the 2nd World War when he enlised as Corporal in the 3rd Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps. I believe he died of throat cancer in 1957 and I vaguely have a memory of sitting on his lap on the verandah of a hospital in Adelaide when I was very young. - Andrew Dawe
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