Keene, Albert Edward
1737 Driver Albert Edward Keene - 10th Field Artillery Brigade
Albert Edward Keene was born in Koondrook Victoria IN 1884 to Michael and Mary Keene, he had an older brother Eugene born in 1879. The family moved to Western Australia in the 1890's and took up residence in Fremantle.
When he enlisted in the Great War Albert would claimed to have served in Royston's Horse in South Africa. This was a unit raised in South Africa in 1906 to serve during the Bambatha Rebellion in Natal. So it appears that Albert did leave WA during the 1900's
By 1910 he was living at 600 Edmund street Beaconsfield and was working as a storeman.
On the 12th July 1915 Albert enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 153lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Dark.
Upon his successful enlistment, Albert was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment. He trained with this group for six weeks but was then sent to the Depot Squadron. He spent a month in this training squadron and then on the 1st October 1915 was assigned to the 11th Reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.
On the 13th October 1915 Albert and his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Themistocles. The ship then took them to Egypt, arriving there in November 1915. It appears that Albert was then sent on to Gallipoli, to help reinforce the 10th Light Horse Regiment. Albert would only be on Gallipoli for a few weeks as the Anzac battlefield was evacuated in December 1915. The 10th Light Horse Regiment then returned to Egypt.
Albert served with the 10th Light Horse Regiment for the first two months of 1916 but was then sent to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment. in March 1916. It appears that Albert requested a unit transfer as in April 1916 he was sent to join the 4th Australian Divisional Artillery. He was given the rank of Driver and assigned to the 4th Australian Division Ammunition Column. As a Driver in the Artillery Albert would still be working with horses.
On the 6th June 1916 the 4th Australian Division Column left Alexandria Egypt aboard the troopship Oriana and set sail for France, reaching Marseilles on the 13th June 1916. The men were then disembarked and were entrained north for the Armentieres region of France. They had their first experience of the Western Front in this sector, but after a few weeks the 4th Division was sent to the Somme battlefield.
Albert served with his unit through the Somme campaign, supplying ammunition to the artillery batteries. In October 1916 he was sent to hospital ill with suspected enteric fever. He was sent to the 8th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux and then to the 14th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. He was also suspected of having typhoid fever and on the 24th October 1916 was shipped to England.
Fortunately Albert recovered well and on the 17th November 1916 was given a month's furlough, after which he was sent to the Royal British Artillery camp at Larkhill on the Salisbury Plains. Albert then returned to France in February 1917 and had a month at the base depot camp. He rejoined the 4th Australian Division Ammunition Column on the 29th March 1917.
He then served with his unit during the Bullecourt operations in April and May 1917. On the 13th May 1917 he fell ill with influenza and was sent to hospital but returned to his unit on the 6th June 1917. The 4th Division were now in Belgium serving at Messines. Albert served here for a couple of months with the 4th DAC but in August 1917 was transferred to the 38th Battery of the 10th Field Artillery Brigade.
The Australian Artillery were providing fire support for the infantry in the Third Battle of Ypres. Many of their gun positions being overlooked by the Germans. On the 13th September 1917 Albert was slightly wounded but remained on duty. He continued to serve with his unit till the 12th October 1917 when he was evacuated ill. Albert was sent to the 39th General Hospital at Le Havre.
Albert had a few weeks in hospital but rejoined his unit on the 2nd December 1917. The 10th FAB were still located in Belgium, covering the line south east of Ypres near Hollebeke.
As a result of the German Spring Offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British line further south, the Australian units were sent south to help stop this advance. Albert's unit were sent to the region near Albert and Dernancourt and provided much needed artillery support against the Germans attacks in this area in late March and early April 1918.
They were then sent further south and provided artillery support near the Somme River and Albert took part in the recapture of Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918 and then Hamel Village in July 1918. They also provided Artillery support for the August 8th advance on the Villers-Bretonneux front.
Albert and the 10th Field Artillery Brigade were in constant action for the next few months as the Germans were being pushed back. Albert was given a rest on the 8th October 1918 when he was sent to England on three weeks leave. He returned to France on the 30th October 1918 and was with his unit when the Armistice was declared on the 11th November 1918.
Albert remained in France with his unit till the 13th March 1919. He was then returned to England and sent to the AIF Camp at Weymouth where he would remained while waiting to hear about returning to Australia. On the 1st May 1919 Albert boarded the transport ship China and set sail for Australia, arriving at Fremantle on the 1st June 1919.
Albert was discharged from the AIF on the 24th July 1919. Albert then returned home taking up residence at 1 Bateman street Fremantle. He was also able to resume his job as a storeman.
Albert married Kathleen Gardiner in Perth in 1928 and resumed living at 598 Edmund Street Beaconsfield. They were here through to the 1930's before moving to Cottesloe.
Albert died on the 16th November 1963 in Cottesloe aged 78. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic MON C4 0559.