Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

ALBERT EDWARD MOBBS - SN5539
Albert Edward Mobbs (Bert) was born 8th April, 1894 to William Charles and Martha Mobbs in the family home 131 Wigram St, Parramatta. NSW. By the time of his enlistment in 1915 the family was living at Thirroul, NSW
Bert first worked for a Thirroul photographer/architect/guest house proprietor Algernon Wynn carrying his glass photographic plates. A lot of these photos are now a family historian’s gold mine.
Bert played for Thirroul Football Club in 1908, his photo with the team is recorded in the Illawarra Images at the Wollongong City Council.
Bert joined the NSW Government Railway at Thirroul as a “call boy” on 11/9/1912 (rate of pay 5/- per day) and transferred to Goulburn on 30/7/1914. He was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 11/8/1915.
The following information is from his Service Records and Pay Books and gives an indication of his movement between 1915 and 1919:
Egypt 15/11/1915 to 15/3/1916, France 8/4/1916 to 22/10/1918 with a period of hospitalisation and recuperation in England following a gunshot wound to left arm. He was with various Units including Divisional Ammunition Column 11th Reinforcements, No 1 Section (reinforcements), Divisional Ammunition Dump (Seraptum) Section 4, 1st Field Artillery Brigade 101st Battery, Reinforcements 2nd Battalion 61st and 2nd Battalion.
On his return from the war in Europe on board the “Kildonan Castle” he married his sweetheart Mary May Bidgood at Thirroul Presbyterian Church on 7/6/1919 and was presented with a clock by the Thirroul RSL to commemorate the occasion. Throughout the war Bert had carried a photo of May in a leather wallet, he had a painting of that photo done on silk while overseas. He was discharged from the military on 2/7/1919 and resumed work with the NSW Government Railway as a fireman at Thirroul, Eveleigh and Goulburn. He became a train driver at Thirroul on 17/6/1938 and following an injury transferred to the “Electrics” as a driver in 1945 based at Mortdale. Bert retired after 45 years and 3 months service on 10/- per hour or a weekly rate of £20/9/0.
Bert was a regular attendee at the ANZAC DAY marches in Thirroul and later in Sydney.
Albert Edward Mobbs died 7/11/1965 at the age of 71 at his home 174 Patrick St, Hurstville, he was survived by his wife of 46 years, two daughters and two grandsons.