Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Albert Victor Bawden was born 8th February 1895 to George Jeffrey (1861 - 1941) and Eliza Emily (nee Bayley - 1859 - 1940). His parents were married at Alberton on 28th October 1881. He had an older brother George Harold and three older sisters Ethel, Hilda and Blanche. Albert's father George was a Sawyer/Machinist and had a business on South Road Edwardstown and Eliza was the home-maker raising he five children. The family also had a long association with the Black Forrest Baptist Church.

The lifelong family home was 3 Raglan Street Edwardstown. (Information from Ancestry.com Public Trees)

Albert's mother passed away in 1940 at the age of 79 and his father a year later in 1941 aged nearly 80.

Albert's father was a well respected member of several Lodges and members were notified of his passing.

Early Education - Pupil Teacher - School Sport

Albert was a solid but not brilliant student and his primary and early secondary educations were at the Edwardstown Public School located on the corner of Maria and Edward Street. The school had been founded in 1898.

After completing his Primary education he was appointed a Class I Monitor at Edwardstown Public School. In 1909 and approaching the age of 14, he sat for and passed the Education Departments Monitors' Examination. A Monitor was paid a small allowance to assist the teachers while at the same time continuing their own education.

In 1910 he took another step up on the way to a teaching career and passed the Education Departments Pupil Teacher Entrance Examination and a position as a "Junior Teacher" at Adelaide High School in Grote Street, City of Adelaide. From 1911 until 1913 he also successfully completed his Junior and Senior Public examinations. In addition he passed subjects at the Adelaide School of Art.

While at Adelaide high School he played football for the First XV111 and First Team Tennis. In 1913 he was captain of the Tennis team and school champion.

Albert also was a member of the Adelaide High School athletics team that competed in the annual intercollegiate sports day at Adelaide Oval and came second in the high jump.

After completion of his Senior Year at Adelaide High School he received a posting in 1914 as a junior teacher at his old school, Edwardstown Public School and that came with a promotion to a Grade 4 position.

Albert in his teenage years had played lawn tennis for the Edwardstown Club in the district competition and for Black Forrest Baptist in the United Church Association as his Summer sport. He also competed in the annual South Australian Lawn Tennis Association's Tournament at Adelaide Oval Courts (memorial Drive).

During the Winter months in the 1914 football season he played for the Sturt B Team in the Association Football Competition.

Teachers' Training College Enrolment and Sport

In 1915 and now 20 years of age Albert began his final year of his training. It was the policy of the Education Department to select the most promising junior teachers who had completed four years (3 years at Adelaide High School and 1 year of Practical Teaching at a school) and send them to the Teacher Training College for a one year course where they would complete professional subjects, do more practical teaching and have limited access to University of Adelaide subjects. The Education Department had in 1907 taken control of teacher training away from the Adelaide University. Under this scheme, student teachers paid no fees, received a small allowance and in an arrangement with Adelaide University, had still some limited access to take University subjects relevant to Teaching such as Education and Psychology. On completion of their total of five years of teacher training they were bonded to the Education Department for several years with the majority were sent to the country.

In the summer of 1914/15 he continued playing tennis for the Black Forrest Baptist Church team. Also in the women's team was May Hunt. In March 1915 he again played in the annual SA Lawn Tennis Tournament.

Many of the students of the Teachers' Training College were eligible to play sport with Adelaide University Teams and Albert being a footballer at Adelaide High School and of sufficient talent to be a regular with the Sturt B Grade team was a prize recruit for the University team for the 1915 season. Albert played all the football season for the Blacks and although the line up was disrupted by many of the players enlisting throughout the year the team performed well. He was one of the players who enlisted but was able to get leave to continue playing until the end of the season. He was also given leave of absence from the Education Department and included on their Roll of Honour.

The University lads made the finals only to be defeated by Semaphore Centrals, a team they had defeated the previous month. Bawden's name as had been the case most of the season was in the best players. This was not unexpected as the team had lost a few players and others could not train regularly.

War Service

Enlisting on 14th June 1915, he is described during his medical examination as standing 5ft 8¾ in and weighing 135 lbs. With the rank of Private he was assigned for Home Service at the 4th Stationary Hospital (Base Hospital, Keswick) and remained there until 15th February 1916 leaving only to enlist in the A.I.F. for active service overseas. While there he would have been instructed in first aid and anatomy, sanitation, general hospital and camp duties and the transportation of patients on wagons and stretchers.

It is interesting to note that his original Attestation Paper (not in his hand writing) list him at 19 years of age - he would have been 20 years old and his later Attestation Paper in 1916 lists him as 23 years of age (not in his handwriting also) - he would have been 21 years old! Prior to his enlistment Albert had spent two years in the school cadets and two years in Citizen Forces attached to the 19th Army Medical Corps so by the time he enlisted for overseas service he had some three years of training in the Medical Corps.

On the 16th of February Private Bawden was now at the 2nd Depot Battalion 7th Australian General Hospital (Mitcham Camp) preparing for transport overseas. On the 4th April he embarked on HMAT A11 Ascanius bound for the Park House Training Camp near Tidworth, England.

Arriving in the UK, he would then be attached to the 13th Field Ambulance and proceed overseas to France on the 24th August 1916 to join the Australian Army Medical Corps Detail at Etaples. Over the next two years he would be in the field caring for the wounded and sick, however he would have himself a number of hospital admissions with a severe case of Mumps, Tonsillitis and other ailments. He also was given two weeks leave in Paris in February 1918 two days after his 23rd birthday and two weeks in the UK in October 1918. He returned to duty with the 13th Field Ambulance on the 3rd of November just before the Armistice.

In December he was transferred to the A.I.F. Administration Headquarters in London and assigned to the Furlough Department which would oversee the multitude of servicemen repatriated from France to England waiting for their embarkation orders and return to Australia. Most men would have to wait months in the UK but it was an opportunity for rest recuperation and sight-seeing. In January 1919 he receives a promotion to Temporary 2nd Corporal. Still with the AIF Headquarters in London in June 1919 he was promoted again to Temporary Sergeant.

He eventually embarked for Australia in July 1919 on board the P & O chartered passenger liner Norman. Arriving in Australia on the 15th August and finally discharged on the 12th October 1919. On the trip he was on duty as the "Sergeant in Charge of Records" so he retained his Temporary Sergeant rank until disembarking.

Life after the War, University Study, Return to the Teaching Profession and Sport
Shortly after his return to home soil, on the 30th of August 1919 the engagement to May Elizabeth Hunt of Glandore to Sergeant Albert Victor Bawden of Edwardstown was announced. He had known her for many years through their common interest in tennis and church affairs. They eventually married on the 22nd December 1921 at their Black Forrest Baptist Church.

In 1920 Albert enrolled at Adelaide University to begin the long journey to complete an Arts degree and for the next decade he completed subjects part-time. Finally in 1930 he was awarded his Bachelor of Arts and much later in 1941 he completed his Diploma in Education (by Thesis). This later achievement was an important step in processing his professional career.

It was also not long before he returned to his two favourite sports. In the summer of 1919/20 he was back playing tennis for Black Forrest Baptist and Sturt tennis clubs. He also in April 1920 lined up for Adelaide University in a football match against the North Adelaide League Team captained by the legendary Tom Leahy. This was a trial match a week before the start of the season.

The University team included a large number of returned servicemen who had played with the Club before the War. Adelaide University lost the game by five goals, but this was a reasonable performance for an Amateur League side versus a South Australian Football League A grade team. Present at the game was a North Adelaide player, Alick Burton (21) who was watching on after breaking his leg the previous season. Tragically he later became ill and died the following evening.

Albert after playing in the trial match did not play for University that season and accepted a position captaining the Cottonville (now the suburb of Westbourne Park) football team in the United Church Football Competition. It seems like the game with University was a ''one off" allowing some old mates to play together one last time. After the 1920 season Albert apparently hung up the boots apart from playing in old scholars versus present scholars matches at Adelaide high School.

Albert's sporting passion was tennis and in the summer of 1920/21 he played with the Adelaide University tennis Club. He also played regularly in the annual SA Lawn tennis Association Tournament with reasonable success often reaching the semi-finals in singles or doubles in the lower divisions. Although regarded as one of the best tennis players ever to have come out of Adelaide High School he was not able to make the top side and only played up to the B side. However, he did have the privilege of playing in the same team as Howard Walter Florey. Later Lord Flory and 1945 Nobel Prize winner jointly with Ernst Chain for brining Alexander Fleming's discovery, Penicillin, into clinical use and saving lives and limbs during the 2nd World War.

After three seasons playing tennis for Adelaide University, Albert returned to play with the Sturt B Grade Team in the 1923 season. Again always a consistent performer and although many judges felt he could play at the highest level of the Pennant Competition, he never gained promotion to their top team. There is no way of judging if this was frustrating for him or his personality was such that he enjoyed the sport and being part of a team, any team, was of the most importance. He continued playing competitive tennis well into his 40's and in December 1938 had played in the Men's Singles Handicap Division of the State Titles. Interestingly the great Australian Davis Cup Captain Harry Hopman was playing in the Open Division of the same tournament.

In addition to teaching, university studies and tennis, he did have other significant interests including his Black Forrest Baptist Church where he was involved leading Choral Groups. In 1934 he was conductor at a musical performance at the Kurrulta Park Methodist Sunday School. He must have been a very good musician and singer being involve in recitals and arranging and conducting Choirs. There was however, no evidence of any formal training during his school and university days. He also played golf and played regularly in the Teachers' Annual Golf Day.

In 1922 he was living at Glandore, however with regard to teaching, it is hard to piece together exactly Albert's movements after the War It appeared that he was only studying at University part-time in 1920 and in all probability must have been appointed to a school at the start of the year. This was probably Norwood High School and in 1923 he received special mention in the report of the School speech day, where he had conducted the lower boy's choir in a recital. He had also acted as a starter at the school sports day.

How long he taught at Norwood High School is unknown but he may have remained there until 1929 as there are no reports of him being transferred or promoted until 1930 when he was appointed to a Senior Master position at his alma mater, Adelaide High School. This was the year he also completed his B.A. and also played tennis for the old scholars against the present scholars.

In 1934 he was appointed the Baptist Church Union College Department's representative who oversaw Christian Instruction at public schools.

In 1936 he was one of the masters in charge of the Commercial Courses at Adelaide High School. The classes were held at the Currie Street Campus (now the Remand Centre), not at the main school in Grote Street.

In 1939 he was living at 20 Cooper Street, Black Forrest and was still a Senior Master at Adelaide High School and that year is also reported as competing in the annual teachers' golf day at Glenelg Golf Club finishing third with a score of 90. Ten years later, now in his fifties, at a similar event he had 82 strokes (equal with the winner) but came second on handicap. The scores indicate that he was quite a good golfer and an indication that he was a natural at all sports.

In 1940 he was promoted to the Headmaster's position at Birdwood High School. His self development continued when in 1941 he completed his study and thesis to gain his Diploma in Education from the University of Adelaide. Then the next year the perennial student at 47 years of age passed the University subject, Educational Psychology.

Now living at Birdwood, he remained at Birdwood High School until 1946. In his Annual Speech Day address in 1945 he expressed "his heartfelt gratitude" that the Second World War had ended and paid tribute to the school's old scholars who had paid the ultimate sacrifice. He had always emphasised to the students the significance of the contribution the Anzacs to world peace and democracy. In 1943 he had written to Lord "Birdwood of Anzac" after whom the Town was named (changed during WW1 from Blumberg to Birdwood).

In 1920 he and Lady Birdwood visited the town named after him to lay the foundation stone for the town's WW1 Memorial. Following the visit he donated funds each year for several annual scholarships for deserving students progressing to Senior Primary.

Field Marshal Birdwood had led the Australian and New Zealand Troops at Gallipoli. After the unsuccessful campaign proposed by First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, to win back access through Dardanelles by defeating the Ottoman shore batteries by naval attack, the decision was made to invade. At the time, the Australian and New Zealand troops were assembling in Egypt for training prior to being sent to France. The British Minister for War, Lord Kitchener's had appointed General Sir Ian Hamilton in position of Commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces to formulate plans for the invasion by land. Birdwood was appointed to lead the "Anzac Corps". He had been put into an unwinnable position when Hamilton had disregarded Birdwood's original plans for the landing of his men and ordered the change to the eventual fateful location on the other side of the Gallipoli peninsular. Underestimating the fighting strength of the Turks and out positioning they had because of the terrain resulted in the initial heavy casualties. Birdwood then at the urging of Majors General Bridges and Godley asked Hamilton to give the order for a re-embarkation. Hamilton refused and this resulted in the even greater horrendous loss of life and eventual retreat eight month after the initial invasion. Despite the failure of the Dardanelle's Campaign he still won the admiration of the men for his own bravery and leadership. He frequently had put himself under fire in the trenches and when taking his morning swim at Anzac Cove.

Originally it was often suggested that Birdwood had coined the acronym Anzacs in reference to the combined Australian and New Zealand forces. However, a later historical work, Gallipoli, by the English historian Robert Rhodes James states:

"Two Australian Sergeants, Little and Millington had cut a rubber stamp with the initials ‘A & NZAC’ for the purpose of registering papers at the Corps headquarters, situated in Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo. When a code name was requested for the Corps, a British officer, a Lt. White, suggested ANZAC. Little later claimed that he made the original suggestion to White. It was in general use by January 1915."

Birdwood in fact had only made the original request to "sanction" the use of the word Anzac at the suggestion of Little and White.

After thirty years of teaching experience following on from his earliest days before WW1 as a junior teacher at Adelaide high School, in 1947 Albert Bawden was appointed to the Education Department Inspectorate responsible for northern areas of South Australia. Albert and May moved to Kadina to be closer to his territory. They involved themselves in the community for the five years they lived there. May was involved with the Kadina Memorial High School Parents and Friends Association. Albert had improved his golf handicap and was now playing of 11 strokes.

Albert was transferred back to Adelaide in 1952 to be Inspector of the Western City region. They moved back to familiar territory at Black Forrest. In 1954 Albert represented the SA Education Department as a SA delegate to the Citizenship Convention in Canberra.

Family and Legacy

In 1945 Albert and May celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

Their union had produced three children, a daughter Joyce (b1922)and two sons Robert Hunt (b1924) and Maxwell George (b1928). Joyce had followed his father into the teaching profession and in November 1946 she married Joseph Henry Hunting (ex RAAF) at the Flinders Street Baptist Church.

Robert Hunt served in WW2 and after the War became a missionary for the Baptist Church in East Pakistan. In January 1953 he married Barbara Jean Wilsdon.

Youngest son Maxwell George Bawden MB BS (Adel 1954) D TM & H (Syd) FRANZ C P 1980, specialised in Psychiatry. In addition to his private practice he was also a Clinical Lecturer at Flinders University Department of Medicine. He married Ruth Stevens of Kadina in May 1953.

Albert passed away in December 1984 aged 89 and was interred at Centennial Park Cemetery Pasadena alongside May who had predeceased him having passed away in April 1980. After May's death Albert had moved from his home at Black Forrest to Belleview Heights.

Profile added with the permission of the author Rob O'Shannassy.

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project please see the document attached.