Albert (Bert) Meadows Whitehead

Bert was born at the Lighthouse, Tooma, NSW on the 1st of April 1894. His middle name, “Meadows” is after the name of the property, “The Meadows”. He would be the youngest of 12 children for William and Agnes (née Simpson).

By the time Bert was ready for school his father had employed male tutors to work with the children, rather than have the children walk the 24 kilometre round journey to school at Greg Greg each day. The last tutor was from Sydney and when he left he took Bert with him to live with his family in Sydney, where he attended Paddington High School.

Bert enlisted on the 4th of September 1915 In Melbourne. On the 12th of August in Corryong,  Dr Greenham had examined him and passed him fit for active service. Bert was allocated the Regimental Number 3963 and became a member of the 9th Reinforcements for the 23rd Battalion. He was initially taken on strength with the 22nd Depot Battalion at Royal Park, Victoria. Whilst at Royal Park he was hospitalised for three days where an abscess on his ear was treated. Three months later he was transferred to ‘Q’ Company of the 5th Depot Battalion stationed at Broadmeadows on the outskirts of Melbourne.

On the 8th day of February 1916 (along with his older brother Wilfred David Whitehead who was in the same unit) the 9th Reinforcements boarded the troop transport HMAT A69 Warilda. The journey across the Indian Ocean, through to the Suez Canal and finally Alexandria took until mid March. On the 21st of that month, he embarked on HMT Oriana, disembarking at the Port of Marseilles six days later. The battalion then travelled by train, arriving at the village of Airre three days later. After detraining they marched the last part, finally arriving at their billets in the village of Witte at 1000 hours on the morning of the 29th of March.

The following month, the 23rd Battalion, along with the rest of the 2nd Division, were introduced to trench warfare in the “Nursery” sector near Armentieres.When the bulk of the AIF was moved to the Somme sector in France for the push at Pozieres, the 23rd was engaged on carrying duties in the first phase of the battle. The battalion suffered its heaviest casualties during the fighting around Mouquet Farm in late August. After a short stint in Belgium the 6th Brigade, which included the 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th Battalions, returned to the Somme for the winter, the most severe in 40 years. There were thirteen men from the Upper Murray who served in the 23rd Battalion during the war. Seven of these would not return home.

On the 29th of December, Bert wrote to his father.

“SomeWhere In France

29/12/16

Dear Father,

Just a little note to let you know that we are both still well. I received my parcel from the Mutual stores all right but Wilfred has not got his yet I suppose that it will come along shortly Everybody got a present sent to them from their Brigade funds. I also got one yesterday from the Lodge so have been doing pretty well for parcels lately. I think George Morgan is in France I heard that there is a Morgan at the base and they will not let him come up the line because he is under 19 years old it is just as well because it is very cold in the trenches at present I do not think he will stand it to [sic] well if he is as thin as he used to be. Wilfred is away at a Machine Gun school at present he went away with one of the Officers he will see George if he is at the Base because that  is where they had to go. Well I spent the quietest Xmas ever I have spent it was just like any other day in the Year I suppose New Years day will be the same to [sic]. Well I will have to close now with best wishes for a happy New Year (the wishes will land there a bit late)

From your loving son

Bert”

In the second week of March 1917, the 23rd Battalion prepared to relieve the 24th Battalion which was currently stationed in the Reserve lines just behind the front line. Battalion Order No. 55 states that every man was to wear greatcoats with 24 hour rations and full water bottles to be carried. Two grenades were to be issued per man as well as 120 rounds of small arms ammunition. Finally four sandbags were to be issued per man with two being carried and two to be used instead of puttees. Puttees were bands of cloth that were wound around a soldier's leg from their ankle to their knee. They were designed to provide support when walking and protect against harsh weather conditions, such as snow.

On the 20th of March, the battalion was issued orders for an advance on, and an occupation of, the village of Vaulx Noreuil. The 6th Brigade’s Major-General Gellibrand had decided, on his own initiative, to try and take the village. The 23rd and 21st Battalions met with heavy resistance from machine guns in the surrounding villages supported by artillery.

Using information from Bert’s Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau file, we can piece together what happened on, and after the day Bert was killed in action. Bert was not only the batman for C Company’s commanding Officer, but on the day of the battle was being used as a company runner. His task was to convey messages back and forth between command posts and the troops out in front. A number of witnesses claim that he was killed outright from the blast of a shell when the company was trying to take the village of Vaulx Noreuil. The company was initially not successful in taking their objective and had to retire from the field, leaving the bodies of those who had been killed. It was not until sometime in April that Bert’s body was recovered and buried where he fell. A cross was erected over his grave. During all of this Wilfred, Bert’s brother, was a member of the same company. He was informed of Bert’s death and said that he would write home and convey the tragic news to the rest of the family.

On the day that Bert was killed, the 23rd Battalion suffered six killed, 99 wounded and 30 posted as missing. After the Armistice, Bert’s body was reinterred in the Vaulx Hill Cemetery, six kilometres from the village of Bapaume, France.

Bert is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Corryong War Memorial, the Corryong Lodge Roll of Honour and the Tumbarumba District Roll of Honour WW1. For his service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.