Name
Albert Ernest Pickthorn
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/11/1916
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
365
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
28th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Northchurch Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Window, Northchurch, Not on the Tring memorials, We are not aware of any Cow Roast memorial
Pre War
Albert Ernest was born in 1888 in Cowroast, (Wigginton), Herts to Thomas Pickthorn, a Lockkeeper on Grand Junction Canal ,and Sarah Miriam (nee Busby).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Charles (born 1878, lockkeeper), Alice (born 1882), Florence (born 1885) and Albert were living at the Cowroast Lock House, Wood Row, Wigginton, now a part of Northchurch.
On the 1901 and 1911 Census Albert was living with his parents at the same address.
He left UK for Australia (Fremantle, Perth) on 13tApr 1911 on board SS Pakeha arriving on 18 May 1911, Albert’s occupation was given as Gardener.
Wartime Service
Albert’s Australian Imperial Force service records that he enlisted on 4 Mar 1915 Australian Imperial Force when he was 26 years and 9 months old. He was ’ 9”, 125lbs, thin with only a 33 ½” chest. Fair complexion, with grey eyes and fair hair.
His Battalion embarked on the H.M.T. Ivernia on 4 Sep 1915 heading for Gallipoli from Alexandria. The Battalion was engaged in the defence of the ANZAC perimeter until the Evacuation on 19 Dec 1915 Albert landed in Alexandria from Mudros on 10 Jan 1916.
He was admitted to hospital From Ferry Post Camp on the Suez Canal on 24th Feb and then admitted to the 7th Field Ambulance in Ismalia with Sciatica on the same day. He was discharged for duty on the 5th Mar 1916, re-joining his Battalion on the same day.
The battalion left Alexandria on the 16 Mar 1916 landing in Marseilles on the 21Mar. By the 23 May he was back in hospital (No 2 AGH) with an infection of the middle ear. He was transferred to Base 7tJun and then again to hospital with the same complaint, this time in Moussont. He seems to have left on the 2 Jul before travelling to Etaples, arriving in the 5 Jul. Albert returned to duty on t 31 July 1916 and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 13 Aug. 28 Battalion were part of 7 (Australia) Brigade, 2nd Australia Division.
He was reported as missing in action between 3rd and 6th Nov, before being officially recorded as killed in action (26th July 1917). 28th Battalion AIF were engaged at ‘The Maze’ Flers near Albert on the Somme battlefield in early Nov 1916 and as casualties were high it probable that Albert went missing in this fighting. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Australian Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.
Additional Information
Albert’s effects: a photo, identity disc, clasp knife on chain, whistle, belt. Tooth brush-shield, handkerchief and letters were returned to his father at Cow Roast Lock, Tring in April 1917. He was also sent a pamphlet entitled “Where the Australians Rest” and then much later, in Sept 1922, Albert’s memorial plaque (the death penny) was received.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, first-world-war-database National Archives of Australia
