Albert John Egan MID

Personal Information
Date of Birth	Not known
Place of Birth	Brighton, Victoria
Death	7 Nov 1951
Place of Death	Bedfordale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	34 years old
Description	5'9 ¾" (1.77m) tall; weight 130 lbs (59 kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, black hair
Occupation	orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	Albany road, Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Mary Ann Egan
Military Information
Reg Number	3321
Date of Enlistment	27 Jul 1915
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 11th reinforcements transferred to 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	2 Nov 1915 - unknown at Port Suez
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Date of Return	28 Feb 1919 - 7 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Honour Roll
Medals	Mentioned in Despatches 1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

The 1903 Electoral Roll list both he and his mother in Solomon street, Beaconsfield; 1906 a gardener living in Armadale with his mother; in 1913 a farmer with mother and spinster sister Avinia Mary (who married in 1928) in Albany road Bedfordale. Albert was President of the Bedfordale Agricultural and Horticultural Society prior to the war.

War Service

After two months general training in Western Australia, Albert was allocated to the 11th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion.

On 7 Jan 1916 at Tel-el-Kebir in Egypt he and 366 other men from the 9th, 10th, and 11th reinforcement drafts were taken on strength by the 11th Battalion, and on 1 Mar 1916 he was one of those chosen to join the newly formed 51st Battalion.

He travelled with them to France aboard the HMT Ivernia, disembarking in Marseilles on 12 Jun 1916 after a week at sea.

Appointed Lance Corporal on 1 Nov 1916 in France, and on 31 Jan 1917 entered hospital with mumps before rejoining his battalion on 3 Feb 1917.

On 22 Jan 1918 he was granted leave in England for a fortnight, and again in Dec 1918.

On 27 Jan 1919 he leaves France through Le Havre, and a month later began the journey home from Devonport.

"...He was in Egypt for several months, and then went to France in the 51st. After an attack of enteric fever he was sent to the RQM Stores, and has since been promoted to Lance Corporal."

Award Comment

Mention In Dispatches - Sir Gen Douglas Haig's despatch of 16th March 1919 in which he submitted names deserving of special mention:........... "EGAN, No. 3321 Private (acting Lance-Corporal) A.J., 4th Machine Gun Battalion, attached 51st Battalion."...

However, Egan pointed out that he was never a member of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion and he sought to have the MID Certificate amended to read 51st Battalion.

Post War

Mentioned in 1922 and 1923 editions of "The Listening Post" as President of the Armadale sub-branch of the RSL.

The 1925 electoral roll again lists him as an orchardist in Bedfordale with his mother . Does not appear to marry and is in Bedfordale by himself from 1931 until his death in 1951. Mother drops off Electoral Rolls but died in Armadale aged 87 on 29 July 1936.

BEDFORDALE RESIDENT DIES The death occurred at his home, Albany Highway, Bedfordale on November 7, of Mr. Albert John Egan. He was late of the 51st Battalion AIF. The funeral took place in the Anglican portion of the Karrakatta Cemetery on Thursday afternoon, November 8.

Albert was a member of the Armadale-Kelmscott Roads Board from 1924 to 1928. Egan street in Armadale is named after him.

Notes

Albert's lack of time away from his unit is very unusual, and he appears to have had a very lucky war for someone who spent 3 years in a front line Infantry Battalion albeit for a time in the Q store.