Dunstan, Sydney Albert
No.270 – Private Sydney Albert Dunstan – 28th Battalion AIF
Sydney Albert Dunstan was born in Sydney on the 16th November 1891 to John and Harriet Dunstan. He was one of five children and the family moved across to Western Australia though his parents soon separated with John moving to Victoria and Harriet remaining in WA with her children.
They initially lived in the Goldfields where Sydney attended the Central School in Boulder. The family later moved to Perth and Sydney resided in Mouat Street Fremantle where he worked for the WA Government Railways as a Locomotive Fireman. He began his work with the WAGR on the 12th August 1910.
On the 3rd March 1915 Sydney enlisted into the AIF at the Perth Drill Hall. He was passed as fit with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 5 ½ inches tall; weight of 150 lbs; chest measurement of 34-37 inches; dark complexion; grey eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. After being allotted to No.10 Depot Sydney was assigned to D Company of the 24th Battalion as WA were initially to supply a Company to the Victorian Battalion.
However with more recruits coming in it was found a whole WA Battalion could be formed which became the 28th Battalion AIF. Sydney was sent to “B” Company with the regimental number 270. He trained with the 28th Battalion in WA until they departed from Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Ascanius” on the 29th June 1915.
After their arrival in Egypt the men were disembarked and sent to train in preparation for their future deployment on Gallipoli. This happened quite soon as on the 4th September 1915 the 28th Battalion left Alexandria on the 4th September 1915. They arrived at Anzac and were sent to the northern sector of the battlefield where they went into the trenches near the positions called the Apex and Rhododendron Spur. On the 3rd October 1915 Sydney was hit in the abdomen by shrapnel and was evacuated back to 7th Field Ambulance and then the 16th Casualty Clearing Station. The same day his wound was assessed as serious enough for evacuation to England. He was sent aboard the Hospital Ship “Assaya” and reached England on the 20th October 1915. Sydney was admitted to St Mark’s College Hospital in Chelsea where he spent the next four months recovering.
In February 1916 he had recovered and was attached to a draft of soldiers being sent out to Egypt, being taken back on strength of the 28th Battalion on the 6th March 1916. Ten days later the 28th Battalion left Egypt and proceeded to France arriving at Marseilles on the 21st March 1916. After their arrival they were sent to the north of France where they took up positions to the south of Armentieres.
For the next few months they held trenches in the Fleurbaix region. In July they were sent south to the Somme battlefield where they took part in the capture of Pozieres and advance towards Mouquet Farm. Sydney survived these battles unscathed but was not so fortunate when the 28th Battalion returned to the Somme in November 1916. On the 3rd November the 28th Battalion took part in a failed assault on the German Trenches at Flers. Casualties were heavy and Sydney was killed in action. At the time his body was not found and he was originally listed as missing in action. It wasn’t until July 1917 that Sydney was declared as killed in action.
After the war his body was located and he was buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery in plot II.C.7.
His cousin Percy Dunstan was killed in the war with the 32nd Battalion AIF on the 20th June 1918.