Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Originally from Port Adelaide, 38-year-old Albert Ernest Cowey of Number 5 Gertrude Street Norwood SA was working as a Labourer when the First World War began.1 He was happily married, to a woman named Mrs Emmaline Jane Cowey, and when enlistment and recruitment began he had no intention whatsoever of going off to fight in a war.

After 2 years of tireless fighting, when the ANZACs were getting desperate for more recruits to fight on the Western Front, he decided to enlist. On the 4th September 1916, Private Albert Ernest Cowey joined the Australian forces. With a service number of 2766 and a place in the 50th Infantry Battalion 6th Reinforcement he was sent off to the Mitcham training camp.(2) As a 40-year-old enlistee who only stood at a height of 5 feet 3 inches he was told he would have to also complete more training in Cairo.

Embarking from Princes Pier on the H.M.A.T. ‘Port Melbourne’ destined for Cairo on the 24th of October 1916 Albert Cowey’s life, whether he knew it or not, would never be the same (3).

The 50th Infantry Battalion was a part of the ‘doubling’ of the AIF. Approximately half of its recruits were veterans from the 10th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia. The 50th battalion was predominantly composed of men from South Australia - just like Albert.

After arriving in France on the 11th of June 1916, the battalion fought in its first major battle at Mouquet Farm, a part of the battle of The Somme, between August 13 and 15 and suffered heavily (4). It also took part in another assault launched there on September 3rd. The battalion saw out the rest of the year alternating between front-line duties and training and labouring behind the line. This is one of the battalions many fronts where they fought and this in particular is one of the battles that Albert was a part of.

His service records and soldier files state that he was hospitalised multiple times over the course of his service, often for long periods of time because he was too sick to be out on the frontline fighting. On the 25th of August 1917 Albert Ernest Cowey was hospitalised for the first time in France due to general sickness and a debility until he returned to fight with his unit on the 24th of October in the same year. In early 1918 Albert became sick again and on the 19th of January he was transported for more treatment.

After he had served 11 months in France, he was evacuated from the front line. His debility, according to his hospital records, had become worse within the time he served and he was told he was now going to be disabled for the rest of his life because of it (5). As he was permanently unfit for general service, he was discharged from the army and was sent to England where he spent time recovering in Harefield House Park in Harefield England which, between December 1914 and January 1919, was used as the No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital6. He underwent x-rays and more medical testing when he arrived in England and it was discovered that he was suffering from phthisis, or what we would call now days tuberculosis, in his lungs and a collapsing diaphragm. The side effects of this condition that Albert suffered from included a chronic cough, loss of muscle tone, difficulty breathing, severe weight loss and intense chest pain. Although he would never fully recover, he was treated for his condition until he was deemed well enough to return to Australia.

On the 12th of May 1918, Albert Ernest Cowey was on his way home. He departed from Plymouth port on the H.M.A.T. ‘Gaika’, travelling via London before arriving back in Australia on the 28th of May 1918 (7). Although, after only 1 year and 256 days service abroad, there was very little for him to return home to.

Having enlisted as a healthy 40-year-old man who had a happy life living with his wife and stepchildren – Albert Ernest Cowey returned home as a sick, traumatised and lonely 44-year-old man, the trials of his 2 years and 94 days of service affecting him both physically and mentally. Roughly two months after his departure in 1916, his wife, Emmaline Jane Cowey died of circumstances not listed and so his stepchildren were sent to live with other guardians. Coming home to none of the same things he left behind and still extremely ill – Albert Ernest Cowey sadly died at Yorketown on the 17th of August 1922.

Albert sacrificed a lot when he enlisted to go to war; he left behind his family, children and friends to fight on the frontline for his country. He was awarded the Victory Medal as well as the British War Medal for his tremendous efforts- although he never gained possession of them as by the time of distribution he had died and so they were sent to his brother.

Albert’s story of pain, suffering and sacrifice although sad, is one that shows the kind of great spirit that the ANZACs were so well known for. He risked his life for the freedom of the country we live in and in doing so saved many lives. If it wasn’t for the thousands of brave soldiers, not just in the 50th Battalion, who dedicated their lives to this cause we could be living in a very different world today