Deal, Albert

3817 Private Albert Deal - 51st Battalion AIF

Albert Deal was born on the 31st May 1870 in Crundale Kent England to William and Amelia Deal. He was one of fourteen siblings born into the family.

He lived in Kent England till 1897 then took a ship to Australia, arriving at Albany on the 4th June 1897.

He went to live with his brother Edward Deal, who was working as a warder was living in Henderson Street Fremantle.

Albert soon found employment with the WA Government Railways

Albert was living in Short Street Albany prior to the Great War where he was a railway employee.

Albert enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on the 26th October 1915. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service and recorded Albert's details as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;

Weight - 158lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-39 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Dark Brown.

After his successful enlistment Albert was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the training depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry work here. On the 16th December 1915 Albert was transferred to the 9th Reinforcements to the 28th battalion AIF.

He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks. On the 12th February 1916 Albert and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Miltiades. The ship then set sail for Egypt arriving there three weeks later.

After being disembarked the men were sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Serapeum. On the 2nd April 1916 Albert was transferred to the 51st Battalion AIF. He trained with them in Egypt for the next two months.

Albert left with the 51st battalion from Egypt on the 5th June 1916, arriving at Marseilles on the 12th June. The men were disembarked and then entrained north where they were sent to the Armentieres sector. They would have a few weeks here to get acclimatised to life on the Western Front. In mid July 1916 they were then sent to the Somme battlefield.

The 51st Battalion saw action at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm during August and September 1916 and though casualties for the battalion were heavy, Albert came through unscathed.

Albert served with the 51st Battalion until the 27th December 1916. He was then attached to the Australian Railway Corps as a Fettler. A fettler is a railway employee who inspects, lays, and maintains tracks, clears away obstructions, and replaces worn rails and sleepers.

Albert was attached to the Railway unit until the 13th May 1917. He was then transferred back to the 51st Battalion.

Albert served with the 51st Battalion at Messines from June to August 1917 and then at the Third Battle of Ypres from September to November 1917. He came through these actions safely, however other health concerns were arising as Albert was increasingly suffering from rheumatism.

In December 1917 he left the 51st Battalion and returned to the Base Depot at Le Havre. On the 6th January 1918 Albert was transferred to England and sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He would wait here for a transport ship to take him home.

On the 15th February 1918 Albert boarded the hospital ship Llanstephen Castle at Plymouth and set sail for Australia.

After arriving back in Fremantle Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 26th April 1918.

Albert then returned to Albany and resumed work for the railways. He was in Albany through the 1920's and 30's. By 1943 he was living at 43 Francis street Perth

Albert Deal died in Perth on the 18th August 1954 aged 84. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican FA 0310A.