Although giving his place of birth as Cudgegong (Apple Tree Flat) in the Central West and Orana district of NSW, no records on NSW BDM can be found. Additionally, no record of his mother’s marriage or re-marriage can be found.
The 53rd Battalion was initially raised in mid-February 1916 as part of the expansion of the all-volunteer First Australian Imperial Force that took place in Egypt. Formed from reinforcements sent from Australia and experienced men drawn from the 1st Battalion, the 53rd was assigned to the 14th Brigade, 5th Division. Later, as the Australian infantry divisions were moved to the European battlefield, the battalion was moved to France in June 1916 where they took their place in the trenches along the Western Front.
Described as a farmer, Albert enlisted with the 53rd Battalion on the 10th of March 1916 aged 21 years and 10 months. Albert gave his mother Zillah Walsh, care of Mrs. J. Walsh of Stearne St, North Goulburn as his next of kin (NOK). Albert embarked from Sydney aboard the HMAT A47 Mashobra on the 14th of September arriving in Plymouth on the 2nd of November. Marching in to the 14th Training Battalion.
Earlier in the year, the 53rd had suffered 600 casualties at Fromelles in July, a toll that represented about a third of its total casualties during the war. Nevertheless, the battalion remained at the front for the next two months, before being withdrawn for a rest. Once that was over, the battalion rotated between manning defensive positions at the front and undertaking training and labouring duties in the rear areas. After proceeded overseas on the Princess Henriatta from Folkeston on the 14th of December, Albert arrived at the 5th ADBD, Etaples the next day. On the 23rd he left Etaples to join his unit in the field on the 24th of December 1916. Between the 4th of January 1917 and the 10th of January during the battalion’s retraining, Albert completed a musketry course and then went to Lewis Gun School at Bois de Gardonndeuse on the 26th of January.
In early 1917 after the Germans withdrew to the Hindenburg Line to shorten their lines of communication and free up reserves, the 53rd Battalion took part in the brief Allied pursuit, and having rejoined his unit on the 12th of February, he was to be ‘Killed in Action’ in France on the 9th of March 1917.
Albert’s personal effects consisted of one package containing Identity Disc, Wallet, Testament, Souvenir Locket, Note Book,
Official letters were sent to his mother care of Mrs. Gilchrist of Phillip St, Parramatta in November 1917. Moving to Mudgee further correspondence was sent to Lewis Street in December 1917 and then in February 1918 to Denison Street. In October 1920 Zillah’s correspondence address was the Post Office at Junee, NSW. As of October 1922, Zilluh was still bereaved as she had sent letters to Base Records Melbourne from c/- Stores Kandos, inquiring as to any futher effects had been found and in another letter a request for a photo of Albert’s Grave.
