Albert Edward Victor Byfield

Albert Edward Victor Byfield

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1891
Place of Birth	Guildford, Western Australia
Death	17 Sep 1975, aged 83
Place of Death	Canning district, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 2 months
Description	5'7" (1.70m) tall ; 144lbs 65.317 kg ; fresh complexion ; blue eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	Mundaring, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Victor Robert Byfield
Military Information
Reg Number	10205
Date of Enlistment	4 Nov 1915
Rank	Gunner
Unit/Formation	6th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Reinforcement transferred to 2nd Division Trench Mortar Battery
Date of Embarkation	5 Jan 1916 ‒ ?? Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A19 Afric
Date of Return	1 Feb 1918 ‒ 18 Mar 1918
Ship Returned On	SS Balmoral Castle
Fate	Wounded in Action 21 Sep 1917 Returned to Australia
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1916 Mundaring, labourer

War Service

Albert enlisted in the AIF at Perth on 4 Nov 1915 and was quickly sent to Maribyrnong in Victoria for training with the 2nd Division Ammunition Column Reinforcements. He boarded teh HMAT A17 Afric with them at Port Melbourne on 5 Jan 1916 for Egypt.

On 14 Feb 1916 at Zeitoun, Albert was taken on strength of the 2nd Division Ammunition Column. On 25 Mar 1916 he boarded the [[[SS Gasconia]] in Alexandria for Marseilles in France, disembarking there on 3 Apr 1916. Taken on strength by the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot, before transferring to the 2nd Division's Ammunition Column on 17 Jul 1916.

On 3 Jan 1917 Albert transferred to the 22nd Field Artillery Brigade and was allocated to the 19th Battery, before on 27 Jan 1917 transferring to the 4th Field Artillery Brigade's 10th Battery. Three days later his is again moved, this time to the X.2.A. Medium Mortar Battery.

From 29 Aug - 11 Sep 1917 Albert enjoyed leave in the UK, before he was wounded in action on 21 Sep 1917 near Ypres in Belgium with a shell wound that fractured his right Humerus. Seen by the 6th Australian Field Ambulance, he was passed back to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station the same day, and placed aboard Ambulance Train No 14 on 22 Sep 1917 for the 3rd General Hospital in Le Tréport. On 31 Oct 1917 he was evacuated to England where he was admitted to Queen Mary's Military Hospital, Whalley on 2 Nov 1917. Discharged on 6 Dec 1917, he reported to No 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott for assessment. On 3 Jan 1918 he was transferred to No 2 Command Depot to be processed for return to Australia as permanently unfit for active or home service.

On return to Australia he was hospitalised in the 8th Australian General Hospital Fremantle from 18 Mar - 15 Apr 1918. While the wounds had healed, he only had partial flexibility in his right arm which had shortened. Described as mentally slow in final medical report.

Discharged as medically unfit at 5th Military District on 29 Apr 1918.

Post War

In 1933 Albert married Barbara M Herbert.

Electoral Roll entries: 1925 at 1332 Phillip street, Maddington, orchardist; 1931 Peachy street Swan View, poultry farmer; 1936 Armadale road, Belmont, orchardist; 1943 - 1949 Woodanilling, farm hand; 1958 has returned to Phillip street, Maddington; 1968 retired at Railway street, North Dandalup; 1972 at Walpole

Notes

NOK (Father) lived in Maddington, Western Australia. Further detail about Alan's life is available via City of Gosnells Heritage Services