Albert CARD
Year of Birth: 1896
Place of Birth: Ayr, Queensland
Date of Enlistment: 14 February 1916
Date and Place of Embarkation: 16 August 1916, Melbourne, Victoria
Ship: RMS Orontes
Rank: Private
Unit(s): 11th Australian Machine Gun Company – 1 to 6 Reinforcements
Regimental Number: 266
Died: 20 September 1917
Albert Card was born 10 July 1896 in Ayr, Queensland to Henry Card and his wife Emma (nee Avon) who also had Herbert (1887), Frank (1888) and Lilly Eliza (1900). His father Henry died in 1903 and his mother married Thomas Daniel Royal that same year and they had 4 children, namely, Helen (1904), Phoebe Olive (1906), Frederick Norman (1907) and Elizabeth Hannah (1909). Albert’s mother, Emma, died in 1929 and his stepfather, Thomas, died in 1923.
When Albert enlisted in Townsville on the 14 February 1916 his age was 19 years 7 months, occupation a labourer, and next of kin was mother, Emma Royal, Gatton Street, Cairns. His height was 5 feet 4 ½ inches, weighed 8 stone 10 pounds with a fair complexion, brown eyes and light brown hair. He was Church of England. He had previously served 3 years in the Cadets.
Albert embarked on the RMS Orontes from Melbourne on 16 August 1916 and landed in England on 3 October 1916. He proceeded to Frances on 23 November that year. Over the next month he was admitted to hospital sick, twice before rejoining the 11th Machine Gun Company on 25 December 1916.
Albert Card was killed in action in Belgium on 29 September 1917. He is buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Flanders, Belgium.
Online Resources
NAA: B2455 Card, Albertt, National Archives of Australia
Photograph of RMS Orontes, Australian War Memorial
Cairns Post (Qld: 1909-1954) 23 Oct 1917 p4
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