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Australia

Born in Streaky Bay on the 26th January 1913, to Seth and Eliza Maude Fernley (Alby) had just turned 26 when he enlisted on the 30th May 1940 in his home town, to become SX 5093 initially in the 2/27th Battalion.
Alby initially began army life at Wayville, in the current Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before continuing his training at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills.
He had pre-embarkation leave in November by which time he was part of the 2/43rd Battalion. He returned to the West Coast with 10 other enlistees from the area, including close friends Lawrie Miller SX5514 who would be killed in action within five months, and Tom Charlton SX6263 who later was also to receive the Military Medal. At Streaky Bay, the Cheer Up Girls with their exceptional organising ability coordinated a huge gathering to farewell the enlistees home on leave. It was described as ‘one of the biggest and most enjoyable gatherings to be seen on the West Coast.’ Crowds lined the Hall as all nine men, including Tom Charlton and Alby, were escorted into the Hall by a returned soldier behind a scout carrying the Union Jack. Patriotically, the National Anthem followed by the Song of Australia were sung. Similarly, the Poochera and surrounding community also threw a social in honour of Lawrie and Alby. Speeches from the RSL President, church leaders and others praised these popular, highly respected ‘boys’ for their work ethic and character, wishing them both Godspeed and good luck. Dancing and a typical country supper concluded the evening.
Finally, Alby arrived in the Middle East in February of 1941, almost immediately being promoted to Corporal. By August news had arrived back on the West Coast that Sgt Tom Charlton was wounded in a major assault at Tobruk and had been awarded a Military Medal. Alby recounted this event to the local ‘West Coast Sentinel’ in October ‘41:
‘Alby said: "I am not going to ask for space in your columns to say these few words, as they will he granted readily. I'm sure. No doubt you have heard of the news about our grand pal, Sergeant Tom Charlton, having been awarded the military medal. I know that Tom would never want to tell anything about this, as he prefers none of the glories showered upon him.
"I happened to be with Tom on this occasion, and he thoroughly deserved this recognition. He proved himself a soldier and a half and a man to be proud of. His achievement was great, believe me.
"He was wounded, but still did his job, and when completed was quite unconcerned. His main thought was for his men as he led the platoon into the attack. This is a great record for the Coast, and all the Coast boys are earning grand names over here.
"I must mention that our company has three military medallists, two with military crosses, and one other recognition in the form of a certificate. "All the boys from over the Bay way are quite well even the ones that have been wounded are in the pink again. Their spirit is grand." He added “I also hoped I would see Tom Charlton, but he was still away. I believe he won the M.M. and did a wonderful job. They all say he's extra.”
Alby goes on to say that the weather is becoming much cooler, and the summer seems to have passed. "Malcolm Murray and Frank Cotton are both in the pink of condition—also the Yendall boys," he continues. "How's the beer in the 'pub.,' Murray. Hope that you have a good stock of XXX there for when we return, as it'll cost you some "free ale.' not to mention the gaff' that will be blown in between the pints.’

Alby continued to be concerned for and report home about Tom who remained in the Australian General Hospital. “I had a note from him the other day and he seems to be doing O.K., but slowly.” Tom had become the third recipient of a Military Medal by a West Coast man, joining the ranks of Private Dean from Minnipa and Sargent Colin Jacka, who had been a well-known commercial traveller in the Eyre Peninsula region.
By November 41, Alby had sent a poem to his sister, Elva at Poochera, then published in the local ‘Sentinel’. He explains that being a soldier at Tobruk is not exciting excursions against the enemy or defending the garrison against mechanised units; rather it was the prosaic job of "diggin' ‘oles" became an extremely important one. The Aussie sense of humour, so foreign to the enemy, including Lord Haw Haw is evident in his description!
“DIGGIN' 'OLES
I was in the ….. Garrison,
And it was a bit embarrassing,
Diggin' like a thousand blinking moles
With our sledge and drills a-ringing
And our picks and shovels swinging,
We was all the time just digging holes.
We didn't do much fighting
But don't think that we were frightened,
For we did our share of going on patrols,
But the C.O. got all pucker
And sent for Captain Tucker—
Get to work and dig some bally 'oles.
John Gordon said he'd show 'em,
So he set to work to blow 'em
There was tons of fracteur round 'ere at the time;
So he said to Gurney, "Drill it,"
And with a hundred plugs we'll fill it
We'll have the best 'ole in this here bally line.
Now the sihks and sappers saw us,
And they were all for us,
So they said, "We'll give these bokes a hand."
But an air raid or a blasting
Was sort of everlasting—
They forgot the picks and shovels to be manned.
The heat was rather trying,
You felt that you was frying,
And we couldn't quench our thirst— not any'ow.
The sikhs, they were a handful,
Unless you kept their can full—
They could drink' as much as any ruddy cow.
Old Jerry saw our bunkers
From his Stukkas and his Junkers,
And decided he would help us with our game,
But he didn't play with picks and shovels
When building these here hovels,
But his bombs and shells they help'd us just the same.
Lord Haw Haw calls us, rabbits,
And judging by our habits
You can't blame him, for we likes our bit of sport.-.
Let him do his little teasin'
Call us names. that are not pleasin',
He's just a nasty piece of doings—like a wart.
Then a message comes from Wavell:
"You have done well with the shovel”
Our secret weapon is really just a pick.
While you are out there sweatin'
Poor Mussolini's frettin' . . . is lost to him and all his clique.
And even old Bob Menzies
(So the message tells us) sends 'is
Congratulations to the Fortress of ……
But it wasn't just our fightin'
That started old Bob skitin'—
He'd heard that we was diggin' like they taught us in the book.’
Tom wrote regularly, letters which his parents, Seth and Iva shared via the local ‘Sentinel’. One appeared in January of 42 at a time when he was also appointed as Sergeant:
“Well, here I am, up to my eyes in work, as I have been to Cairo for a week, where I found it welcome after what I had been through. It is a grand place. I visited its historic mosques, churches, and the famous pyramids, up which I climbed some of the way. One gets a lovely view of Cairo from there. And then I saw the Sphinx. I also went to the Nile barrages, where the dams are. This is a lovely place, too. There are some magnificent lawns and gardens. While I was in Cairo, I saw the King open the Egyptian Parliament. Troops were lined along the streets, and soldiers on horses went before the carriage which carried the queen. The carriage was all gilded and simply magnificent.
“This week I may be going away on a six weeks' lecturing campaign, so I should have a good look round. I have received a lot of parcels this week from you and other friends. All the boys here are quite well, but Tom Charlton is still at the A.G.H. I had a note from him the other day and he seems to be doing O.K., but slowly. I am in the best of health.”
By January 43, Alby cabled his sister, Joy at Poochera with news that he had received a decoration and was fit and well in Palestine. This eventually was revealed as being a Military Medal for a gallantry at El Alamein. In an airgraph letter, he asked to be remembered to all the folk at home and included news about other locals, including Tom Charlton, who was well and back at training base; and that Reg Lakin “was awaiting a hospital ship as he lost a leg in the last the show over there.”
Hi citation read:
‘In the area near SIDI ABD EL RAHMAN on 1 Nov. 42 No. 12 Platoon of ‘B’ Coy of the 2/43 Aust. Inf. Bn. Was attacked and partly overrun at 1530 hours. At this time the Pl Comd had to take command of the Coy, and Sgt. JOY took over command of the Platoon. He showed outstanding leadership when, under heavy fire, he reorganised his command and recaptured all the Platoon positions except one post, which held a commanding position overlooking the whole of the Coy. Area. Sgt. JOY held his Platoon in position and continuously moved around the area under heavy machine gun fire giving advice, organising successful 2” Mortar and rifle grenade shoots and attending his wounded. The enemy eventually withdrew. Sgt. JOY’s cool courage in the face of the enemy and devotion to duty was an inspiration to the whole of the Platoon.’
Alby returned to Australia via Sydney with some time in hospital, officially receiving his Military Medal in March. An added celebration was his marriage to Iva Freeman of Karcultaby on the 8th March, 1943 and the young couple having a week together at Streaky Bay.
Training in Queensland followed but Alby continued to write home with news of the Coast ‘boys’ including Bill Dunn, who was also awarded a Military Medal. Typically, his concern continued to be for the locals including one of the injured Yendall brothers. He also chiacks the locals “Hope that Pat Holland is getting those slow race horses of his together for a big meeting, when the war is over. The boys send their best wishes to you Pat.”
Service in Milne Bay, New Guinea followed and with it, tropical disease of dermatitis needing hospitalisation. Another promotion followed, this time to Lieutenant, but soon after he contracted Chronic Malaria. Finally, Peace was declared and Alby was discharged on 30th September, 1946 to return home.
Alby and Iva had three children, two daughters, Lorraine and Meredith and a son, Bevan John, born on the 12th April 1950. Bevan died just two years later in the Adelaide Hospital on September 10th 1952. An incredibly cruel blow in what should have been a time of fulfilment and looking to a future of peace and prosperity.
Continuing to support his local community, Alby was elected to the Wudinna Institute Management Committee, then became the President of the Hall Committee. He was also President of the Wudinna sub-branch of the R.S.L. Similarly, Iva was an active member of the C.W.A.
Probably one of his greatest peace time achievements was as a Land Inspector as local farmers strove to control the plagues of rabbits. Initially drastic methods were used, as reported in the Adelaide News. By March of ’49 as Inspector of Lands, Wudinna, Alby shared the success in the first mass attempt to control this introduced pest. It involved teams of two, one carrying a back-knapsack filled with dieselene. At the warren hole, a two-ounce tobacco tin of either sulphur or Cooper's powdered sheep dip was placed before the burner flame-thrower aimed down the hole. As the smoke appears from the other entrances to the warren the fellow helper shovels in dirt until the whole warren is completely filled in. Done quickly, by trapping the strong fumes in the burrows eliminates the pests. The greatest success came with the combination of sheep dip, containing arsenic and dieselene which produced greater fumes. This method was readily taken up by farmers throughout S.A.
That year the camaraderie of the Eyre Peninsula Diggers was evident in a football match between The Wudinna and Kyancutta sub-branches of the R.S.L. in a fund-raising event for building constructions. Alby, as skipper of Wudinna, led a minute’s silence in remembrance of the fallen comrades before the good-hearted entertainment continued with innovative rules. The umpire was creative with his decisions as was the time keeper, being obliging in timing the final bell until scores were level.
Alby was an exceptional leader, proud of his family, heritage and community. He died on the 7th September, 1983 and was buried in Centennial Park with his young son, Bevan and eventually his wife Iva in July 2017.
Researched and written by Kaye lee daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133 2/48th Battalion.