3215 Private Albert James Holden - 10th Light Horse Regiment
Albert James Holden was born in North Fremantle in 1897 to George and Catherine Holden, being one of six siblings, with, William 1893, Thomas 1894, Ethel & Maude 1902 and Edith 1905.
He grew up and was educated in North Fremantle, with the family living in Frederick Street North Fremantle (later renamed to Hevron St). After leaving school Albert took up work as a labourer. During his school years Albert had served in the 86A Cadets and he continued this service with the 86th Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.
Two of Alberts sibling's, Thomas and William, had enlisted early in the war. Sadly news had come through in the latter half of 1916 that Thomas had been killed in action at Pozieres.
Albert enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on the 11th January 1917. He was accepted as fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording Albert's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 126lbs;
Chest Measurement - 31-34 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Auburn.
After his successful enlistment, Albert was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.98 Training Depot. He was given a week of basic infantry training and was then assigned to the 25th reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF.
Albert trained with this group for two months but then requested a transfer to the Australian Light Horse. After passing the riding tests he was accepted into the Light Horse Training unit. Albert was then assigned to the Camel Corps reinforcements. He had a months or more of training with this group and then on the 22nd May 1917 entrained to Fremantle Harbour where he boarded the transport ship Port Sydney. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving at Suez on the 20th June 1917.
Albert and his group were disembarked but as he was found to be ill with venereal disease, he was shipped to Cairo and admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital. He was here for several weeks before being sent to the Imperial Camel Corps Details Camp on the 8th August 1917. He spent around a month with the reserve camel regiment. On the 9th September 1917 he was posted to No.4 Company of the Imperial Camel Corps.
Albert served with his unit in their operations around Gaza and Beersheba in September and October 1917 before also taking part in the capture of Jerusalem in November 1917.
Sad news soon reached Albert that his other brother William had been killed in action in Belgium while serving with the 51st Battalion.
In January 1918 Albert took part in operations around Jericho but in February 1918 was hospitalised sick. He would be in hospital for the next six months as they tried to work out what was wrong with his health. It's was not until July 1918 that he improved and that he could be transferred back to his unit. However the Camel Corps had now been disbanded and so Albert was posted to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.
Albert would served with the 10th Light Horse Regiment for the remainder of the war including the 'Great Ride' which culminated in the capture of Damascus in October 1918. Soon after the loss of Damascus, the Turkish forces surrendered and this was followed soon after with the Germans on the 11th November 1918.
From January to April 1919 Albert was in hospital for much of this time, but returned to the 10th light Horse in May 1919. He got into trouble on the 29th may for being drunk on duty while on town patrol at Zagazig. As a result he was given 14 days of Field Punishment No.2. This included a period of detention at Moascar Camp.
On the 10th July 1919 Albert boarded the transport ship Oxfordshire and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 4th August 1919.
Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd September 1919.
After being discharged he returned to North Fremantle for a few years before moving to Swan View.
Albert lived in Swan View for the remainder of his life.
Albert died on the 5th September 1968 aged 72. He was buried at Midland Cemetery plot Congregational D 0026.
