Anderson, Albert

2863 – Albert James Anderson (Hegarty) - 48th Battalion AIF

Albert James Anderson was born on the 24th October 1900 in Balmain NSW to James and Elizabeth Anderson. The family moved to Western Australia when Bert was young and took up residence, in both the Fremantle and Perth localities. Albert attended James Street School in Perth and undertook training in the 88B Cadets, which was based out of North Perth.

It appears that Elizabeth Anderson had travelled back to New South Wales in the mid 1900’s and that Bert was mainly raised by his father. Father and son were very close as, both James and Albert took the opportunity to enlist in the AIF within days of each other. On 18th December 1915, 41 year old James Duncan Anderson enlisted and 15 years old Albert Anderson, followed him four days later. Despite putting his real age of 15 on the enlistment form, he was accepted for service. This may be due to the Commanding Officer of the Training Camps, Colonel Battye stating that if passed as fit Albert could be utilised as a bugler.

The medical examining officer found that Albert was 5 feet 6 ½ inches in height; weighed 108 lbs; chest measurement of 31-34 inches; fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was listed as Presbyterian. Bert must have had his dad’s approval for enlisting underage as they would be assigned to the same reinforcement group. Plus he also listed his dad as his next of kin, perhaps thus avoiding letting his mother know about the enlistment.

Albert was sent to No.39 Depot for initial training and he was then assigned to the 15^th reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion AIF with the regimental number 4748, his father being number 4743. However Albert’s plans hit a snag when Elizabeth returned from NSW and found out about her sons enlistment. So before this group embarked from Fremantle, Albert was discharged in March 1916 as being under age, the authorities having been asked by his mother to discharge him from the AIF. Bert’s father James Duncan Anderson remained with the reinforcement group and left Fremantle aboard the HMAT Ulysses on the 1^st April 1916.

Bert was very annoyed with his mother for her causing him to be being discharged from the AIF.

However this did not stop him trying again, as on the 18^th of May 1916 he once again enlisted, this time under the assumed name of James Hegarty, this being his mother’s maiden name, though he kept his father as his next of kin[1], as he knew his dad approved of his enlistment.

Bert, now 15 years and 7 months old, was once again accepted for service in the AIF and spent a month at No.69 Depot before being assigned to the 22^nd Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion. He was then withdrawn from this group and transferred to the 6^th reinforcements to the 48^th Battalion and did much of his training at Belmont Camp.

This group embarked from Fremantle on the 30^th October 1916 aboard the Port Melbourne and disembarked at Devonport England on the 28^th December 1916. After arrival he was attached to the 12^th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. On the 10^th February 1917 Albert was admitted to Hospital at Sutton Veny with Bronchitis, the cold English winter proving too much for him. He fought his illness for 12 days when unfortunately he died on the 22^nd February 1917 aged 16 years and 3 months old.

Albert James Anderson was buried at Sutton Veny Churchyard with full military honours. 

Albert’s father James had served with the 48^th through the battles of Pozieres and Mouquet Farm in August 1916, and though he survived these actions unscathed he became quite ill, necessitating several months in hospital. He was discharged from the AIF in 1917 due to rheumatism, arriving back in Fremantle in October 1917.

James Anderson went to NSW for a time, and as Albert had used a pseudonym for his dad as a next of kin, James wrote to the authorities; 

Dear Sir, I beg to put the following explanation before you: My son Pte. J Heggarty of the 6^th Reinf 48^th Battalion No.2683 died at “Sutton Veny” Hospital February 22^nd 1917. This will was left in my favour James Weston being my name before marriage & Weston my step-fathers name; my son enlisted in his mothers maiden name Heggarty and advanced his age to enable him to enlist. I enlisted in West Aus in 1915 and my son in 1916 and I returned to WA and was discharged Oct 16^th 1917 but have since come to Sydney. Trusting you will give this your esteemed considerations.

James Duncan returned to Western Australia, living for a time in Jenkins Street South Fremantle and then to the Perth suburbs. He chose the epitaph for his sons grave.

It appears Alberts parents had split prior to the war[2], as in 1931, Alberts mother wrote to the Army authorities requesting information about any pension, but stating the last she heard of her son was in camp at Blackboy Hill. In 1933 and 1936 she wrote from NSW to authorities wanting her husband’s latest address and to know if her husband was still alive. Why did it take Elizabeth so many years after the war to write to authorities about her son? Was it just to do with receiving money from an army pension?

It begs the question as to whether Albert would have survived the war had he remained with his father instead of later enlisting under a false name, and his mother having no idea as to her son’s fate. If Elizabeth had let her son go away with her husband in April 1916 she would have at least known where her son was and would have been informed of any news. This was a reason many parents signed their consent forms to enlist as they knew their sons would just enlist under a false name and they would lose track of them.