AVERY, Aiden Albert

AVERY, Aiden Albert – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 2683
RANK : Corporal
UNIT : 49th Battalion
ENLISTMENT DATE : 7/06/1915
AGE : 22
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Brisbane, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Coppymurrambilla, New South Wales
RELIGION : Roman Catholic
OCCUPATION : Grazier
DATE OF DEATH : 30/08/1916
PLACE OF BURIAL : No Known Grave, France

MEMORIALS : Toobeah War Memorial, Goondiwindi War Memorial, Moree ANZAC Centenary Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial

View Veteran’s Service File : AVERY, Aiden Albert

NOTES : AVERY, Aiden Albert was born at Coppymurrambilla Station, near Boggabilla, NSW, to William Hugh Avery and Ellen Avery (nee O’Sullivan). His father passed away on Christmas Day, 1910.

At the time of his enlistment in the First World War, he was single and listed his occupation as a grazier. Aiden was living at Lorraine, at Toobeah, near Goondiwindi at the time. He was 5ft. 71/2 inches tall and weighed 169 lbs (approximately 77kg), with a dark complexion, dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Aiden enlisted at Brisbane on 7th June, 1915 at age 22, and was assigned to the 8th Reinforcements of the 9th Battalion.

After travelling to Lemnos, Greece aboard the “Kyarra”, he was transferred to the 49th Battalion on 27 February 1916. The 49th Battalion was raised in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the “doubling” of the Australian Imperial Force. Approximately half of its recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 9th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia.

Aiden was promoted to Lance Corporal and then Corporal in April, and then sailed with his new unit from Alexandria to Marseilles in France in June, 1916.

Aiden was killed in action at Pozieres in France on 13 August, 1916. As with many Australian servicemen who died in France and Belgium, Aiden has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial, along with fellow Yelarbon soldiers Ronald Bowker Cameron, John Alexander Robb, and Francis Harold Turner.

His older brother Michael Albert Avery 3230 served during both the Boer War and First World War.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.