Bell, Albany
5068 Private Albany Bell MM - 11th Battalion AIF
Albany Bell was born in North Fremantle on the 1st April 1894 to John and Lydia Bell. He was the eldest of four children in the family with Samuel (1898), Orton (1901) and Elizabeth (1905).
The family lived in Thompson Road North Fremantle and Albany was educated at North Fremantle Primary School.
During his early years Albany was a very god sportsman, playing cricket and football for local North Fremantle and Fremantle teams. In 1912 Albany was part of the North Fremantle premiership team in the WAFA League.
He also served in the Cadets and after leaving school he took up employment locally as a labourer.
On the 12th January 1916 Albany enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 5 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 125lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-35 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment Albany was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was allotted to No.48 Training Depot. He was then taken through the basics of infantry work for the next few weeks.
Albany was then sent to the 16th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. This group would be sent down to Bunbury to complete their training. On the 31st March 1916 Albany and his reinforcement group were transported to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Shropshire which then set sail for Egypt.
After a four week sea voyage Albany and his group disembarked at Suez on the 24th April 1916. After their arrival they found that the 11th Battalion had a few weeks previously already departed for France. Albany was then sent to the 1st Division reinforcement camp and he remained in Egypt for the next month.
On the 29th May 1916 he embarked from Alexandria Egypt with the 1st Division reinforcements, arriving at Marseilles on the 3rd June 1916. They were then entrained north for Etaples and were then sent into the 1st Australian Division Base Depot Camp.
Albany Joined the 11th Battalion on the 1st July 1916. He joined the 11th Battalion as they were heading to the Somme battlefield.
On the 22nd July 1916 the 11th Battalion took part in the capture of Pozieres village from the Germans. During the advance Albany was shot through the abdomen and was taken to the 2nd Field Ambulance for treatment. After he was bandaged up he was taken further back to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station. Further treatment was given there and on the 26th July 1916 he was admitted to the 13th General Hospital at Boulogne. He spent a few weeks here but fortunately the wound was not severe and he rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 16th September 1916.
The 11th Battalion were then located near Ypres in Belgium where they spent several weeks before returning to the Somme Battlefield. From November 1916 to February 1917 the 11th battalion spent the French winter on the Somme battlefield undergoing the freezing conditions.
In late February 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. Though they were withdrawing several sharp battles were fought around what was known as the outpost line villages.
In February 1917 the 11th battalion saw action at Le Barque and at Morchies in March 1917. In April 1917 the 11th battalion went into the front at Boursies and Lagnicourt. There was no actual front line at this stage but just a series of unconnected forward posts.
On the 15th April 1917 the Germans launched a surprise attack on this front and quickly surrounded the forward posts of the 11th and 12th battalions. Many of the posts fought on until they were out of ammunition but the Germans made good headway until a counter attack by the Australians pushed them back to their own positions.
Albany came through the action safely and was awarded the Military Medal for his actions. The official recommendation reads;
At Louverval France on April 15th 1917 No.5068 Pte Albany Bell, during the enemy attack, in addition to messages, he carried forward supplies of ammunition and grenades to picquet posts thereby showing courage and skill
What the recommendations doesn't state is that Albany did this while under heavy German fire. The award of the Military Medal was well deserved.
After the action the 11th Battalion did not have long to rest as on the 6th May 1917 they were drawn into the action at Bullecourt. They relieved units of the 2nd Division and tried to further the gains that had already been made. Much hand to hand fighting took place with the Germans and casualties were heavy.
During the action Albany was hit in the back with shrapnel. He was able to get back to the 5th Field Ambulance where his wounds were initially treated. The same day he was sent on to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and after a short time was sent to the 26th General Hospital at Boulogne.
On the 15th May 1917 he was put on a hospital ship for England and upon arriving was sent to the 1st Southern General Hospital. His back wound was listed as severe and he spent the next month in hospital. During this time the notification of the award of the Military Medal came through.
On the 5th July 1917 Albany had improved enough that he was given a two week furlough. After this was over he reported to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. His fitness was evaluated at this point and he was downgraded to B1a so he was not yet ready to return to his unit.
Albany would remain at No.1 Command Depot Camp for the next few months, slowly regaining his health and fitness.
By the end of October 1917 Albany was classed as well enough to return to his unit. He rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 30th November 1917. The 11th Battalion were then holding part of the front line positions between Ypres and Messines in Belgium.
As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 when they broke through the British front in the southern sector, the five Australian divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop this advance. The 11th Battalion, as part of the 1st Australian Division was the last of the divisions to leave Belgium and had just arrived near Amiens when the Germans broke through the line in Belgium and made a speedy advance into northern France. The 1st Australian Division was then returned north and met the Germans around Hazebrouck, Meteren and Merris and for the next few months were in action here.
Albany would have taken part in many of the patrols and raids that occurred on this front from April to July 1918.
In early August 1918, the 1st Australian Division moved to the Somme to join up with the other Australian divisions.
On August 8th 1918 the Battle of Amiens commenced in which Australian, British and Canadian units attacked the German line and sent the Germans into a retreat from which they never recovered. On the 9th/10th August 1918 the 11th Battalion were in action at Lihons. German machine gun fire caused many casualties among the 11th Battalion though Albany came through unscathed.
On the 23rd August 1918 the 11th Battalion supported a 12th Battalion attack at Proyart. During the advance, Albany sustained his third wound in the war, being shot in the thigh.
He was initially treated at the 3rd Field Ambulance and from there was sent to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station. He was then sent on an ambulance train to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen. He had a few days here and was then shipped to England where he was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham.
Albany was in this hospital for the next few months and was still there when the Armistice was signed on the 11th November 1918.
On the 25th November 1918 he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He spent four days there and was then granted a two week furlough. Albany took two more days unofficial leave on top of his two weeks and then reported to No.2 Command Depot Command Camp at Weymouth on the 17th December 1918.
He then waited to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 18th January 1919 Albany boarded the hospital ship Margha and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 23rd February 1919.
After being disembarked Albany was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle and he spent several days as a patient here while all his wounds he received in the war were being assessed. He was released from hospital on the 3rd March 1919.
Albany Bell was discharged from the AIF on the 17th April 1919.
In 1926 in Perth Albany married Sarah Ann Griffin and the family would live at 40 Bourke Street Leederville. During this time Albany was working as a Salesman.
Albany enlisted again for World War Two, enlisting into the Australian Army on the 9th November 1940. (W31733). He served in 1941-42 with the 5th Garrison Battalion around the Perth and Swanbourne area. He was discharged in 1942.
Albany Bell died on the 23rd February 1972 aged 77. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.