Albert George Whitehead
1913 - 1981
Albert was born on the 28th of September 1913, in the riverside township of Mannum in South Australia. When he grew up, he worked as a laborer and at some point moved to the nearby township of Murray’s Bridge. It was here that he began to court Muriel, and on the 17th of August 1940 the two would be wedded. It is also likely that at some point prior to the war he served with the CMF.
Albert was a relatively early enlistment into the Second World War, joining up with the AIF on the 25th of June 1940, at the age of 26. He completed basic training at the 3rd Initial Training Depot before being transferred in November to the 2nd Initial training Depot in order to undertake machine gun training. In February of 1941, he was assigned to the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion and soon embarked for service in the Middle East with the Australian 7th Division. In the Middle East, was briefly graded as a store man, though within three months had relinquished this position. In May of 1942 he was moved to the Machine Gun Training Battalion for five months before being reassigned to the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion, who returned to Australia in February of 1943.
With the 2/2nd, Albert was graded as a cook and seems to have worked in support roles for the battalion. At one point he was even assigned once again to the stores and vehicle pool. In August 1943, the battalion moved to Milne Bay in New Guinea where they acted as a garrison force. This lasted until March of 1944 when they returned to Brisbane and Albert was made an acting corporal. Throughout his service, Albert had been in and out of the army hospital with various illnesses, though now it was more serious as he had contracted Malaria in New Guinea.
Despite this, Albert continued to perform well and in August was made an Acting Sergeant, rank confirmed in November. In May 1945, the battalion once again moved abroad, this time going to Morotai and taking part in the Borneo Campaign the following month.
Following the end of the war, Albert and the 2/2nd returned to Australia. He was discharged from the army on the 29th of October 1945, having served a total of 1075 days overseas during the war. He would pass away on the 30th of December 1981.
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