Herbert Wright Aldred
From Our Contribution
 Western Mail 13 Oct 1916 page 28 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1 Dec 1890 |
| Place of Birth | Berkshill, England |
| Death | 10 May 1915 |
| Place of Death | Quinn's Post, Gallipoli, Turkey |
| Age at Enlistment | 24 years, 9 months |
| Description |
5'5½" tall ; 138 lbs 62.596 kg ; fair complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Jarrahdale, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Mr A.G. Aldred |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 238 |
| Date of Enlistment | 14 Sep 1914 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 16th Battalion D Company/4th Brigade, 1st Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 22 Dec 1914 ‒ 1 Feb 1915 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A40 Ceramic |
| Fate | Killed in Action 10 May 1915 |
| Monument |
Jarrahdale Honour Roll Lone Pine Memorial ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford) Australian War Memorial |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Herb's records covering the time from enlistment until his departure from Egypt for Gallipoli are missing. However, it is evident that he was an original member of the 16th Battalion who would have travelled with them to Egypt aboard HMAT A40 Ceramic which sailed from Melbourne on 22 Dec 1914, and disembarked in Alexandria on 1 Feb 1915. Following a period of training in the outskirts of Cairo, on 12 Apr 1915 the battalion departed Alexandria, and joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force headed for Gallipoli with all bar 'C' Company of the 16th travelling on a German ship that had been seizes at the outbreak of the war, HMT Haida Pascha.
An entry dated 16 May 1915 noted that Herb was missing, and had been so since 10 May 1915. The next day the record was updated to indicate that on 10 May Herb had visited the 4th Field Ambulance with influenza. He was either fit enough to return to his unit, or knowing that they were attacking Turkish trenches above Quinn's Post, he discharged himself in order to join the fray. During the attack the battalion lost 300 men, and given Herb was never seen again, nor his body found we might assume that he was killed defending the trenches that they had captured, before the Turks regained their territory.
His Red Cross file contains a copy of an advertisement placed by his parents seeking information about him, based on information provided by the Red Cross[1].
159th List of Casualties - Missing H.W. Aldred 16th Battalion (England)[2] Also published in the West Australian and the Western Mail. It wasn't until a Court of Enquiry was held at Serapeum on the 6th, 8th and 28th Apr 1916 that he was officially declared to be Killed in Action.
Casualty List 171 Killed In Action, previously reported Wounded Private H.W. Aldred (England)[3]
In Aug 1917 the Curator of Estates of Deceased persons was charged with settling Herb's estate valued at £83
Notes
Commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial - Panel 51.
References
- ↑ "Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files - Herbert Wright Aldred". Australian War Memorial. 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- ↑ "West Australian Casualties.". The Daily News. XXXV, (12,838). Western Australia. 1 April 1916. p. 8 (THIRD EDITION). Retrieved 27 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES". The Daily News. XXXV, (12,882). Western Australia. 25 May 1916. p. 4 (THIRD EDITION). Retrieved 27 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia.