Cobb, Albert George

No.142 – Trooper Albert George Cobb – 10^th Light Horse Regiment

Albert George Cobb was born in Melbourne Victoria in 1887 to John and Phoebe Cobb. The family moved to Western Australia and were associated with both Fremantle and Kurrawong. Albert had served as a Corporal in the Militia in Fremantle for three years with the 11^th Australian Infantry Regiment.

When Albert enlisted into the AIF he had been working as a Blacksmith’s striker at Kurrawong.

In October 1914 he offered his services to the AIF, and was accepted as fit. Albert was found to be 5 feet 8 & ¾ inches in height; weight of 161 lbs; chest measurement of 37 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and fair hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic. Albert was assigned to “A” Squadron of the 10^th Light Horse Regiment.

This regiment trained in WA at Fremantle, Claremont & Rockingham until early 1915. Albert may have had ample opportunity to visit his family as they were living in Ellen St and then Queen Victoria St Fremantle.

On the 8^th February 1915 the Regiment left WA aboard the H.M.A.T. “Mashobra” and sailed for Egypt. After their arrival they were disembarked and sent to camp to train. The Australian infantry had landed at Gallipoli on April 25^th and though they secured a foothold not much headway could be made so the Light Horsemen were sent to reinforce the infantry, but they went dismounted. The 10^th Light Horse embarked for Gallipoli on the 16^th May 1915 and arrived on the 19^th May. The 10^th were sent to the dangerous position of Quinn’s Post and held the dangerous position for some time. In late July Albert wrote his last letter home to Kitty;

“Just a few lines to let you know I am still alive and doing as well as can be expected, considering it is pretty rough. We are in supports one night and trenches the next night, so we have no sleep at night at all. Well dear Kitty our mail is held up again, I have not had a letter for a fortnight. Just before I started this scribble, the Turks have been firing a very powerful shell about 20 yards from where I was having a sleep and I thought she was going to fill my dugout in…Well dear Kitty this is all as we have to get tea on and then go into the trenches tonight with always a prayer for yourself and baby. Hoping you have the same for me, remember me to mother and all of our friends. Hoping this will find you and baby in best of health, with fond love and wishes”

A stalemate had developed at Gallipoli and as part of a planned offensive the 8^th & 10^th Light Horse Regiments were tasked with the capture of Turkish trenches at the Nek and to advance towards Baby 700. The four lines of Light Horsemen who charged were mown down by Turkish machine gun fire and the attack failed. Albert Cobb was among those cut down in No Man’s Land and he was killed in action. His body was not recovered but was most likely one of the unidentified bodies found in 1919 that still littered No Man’s Land and were buried at the Nek Cemetery.

However Albert was commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial. His son, John Francis Cobb would receive a pension after his father’s death. His wife Katherine (Kitty) later remarried and became Katherine McCarthy and lived in Burns St North Fremantle.

John Cobb served in the RAAF in WW2 and survived the war.

(photo s below-Albert Cobb)