Albert was 21 when he enlisted with the 40th Battalion, AIF. His service record shows that he was wounded in action in 1917 and then again on 31 August 1918. He died of his wounds on 1 September 1918, just two months before the end of the war. Albert is buried at Daours Communal Cemetery.
My search for Albert's family started by looking around the Lilydale area of Tasmania where Albert was from. A family tree on Ancestry gave me the married name of one of Albert's sisters. I found several people by this name in the White Pages in the area around Launceston, close to Lilydale, so I took a punt and ended up speaking to the daughter in law of Albert's sister. I'll return the medal to this family in the near future.
Thank you to COL Ken Duncan (RL) of the Australian Water Transport Association RAE, AIF and RACT who sent the medals to me in the first instance.
The returned medal tally is now 1196.
Hi Glyn, Just came across this post while looking at some family history. My name is Kim Harrison and Albert Ernest Walker was my father, Robert William Harrison's Uncle. His Mother (My grandmother's) name was Eileen Mabel Harrison nee Walker who was from Lilydale and was his sister. Just curious to know where the medals are now. Thanks, Kim.
ReplyDeleteKim can you please email me at the following address:
ReplyDeletellanwarne80 at hotmail dot com