Bert LYNCH (Albert Alfonius LYNCH)
Year of Birth: 1895
Place of Birth: Tolga, Queensland
Date of Enlistment: 7 October 1916
Date and Place of Embarkation: 27 October 1916 Brisbane
Ship: HMAT Marathon
Rank: Private
Unit(s): 7/49th Battalion
Regimental Number: 2936
Died: 27 April 1918
Albert Alfonius Lynch (Bert) was born at Tolga on the Atherton Tablelands in 1895, the third son of James & Julia Lynch. James & Julia had married in Singleton, NSW in 1882. Four daughters (Olive b 1883), Lucy (b. 1885), Ada and Mary (b 1887) were born before the family moved to the Atherton Tablelands were their sons William (b 1889), Joseph (1892 – 1895) and Albert (1895) were born.
Bert Lynch was a 21 year old school teacher when he enlisted on 7 October 1916. He was 6 feet tall, weighed 161 lbs and was described as having a dark complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He was Roman Catholic and named his father his next of kin.
He embarked from Brisbane on the HMAT Marathon on 27 October 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth England on 9 January 1917.
He was attached to the 13th Training Battalion when he was admitted sick to Lord Derby Hospital, Codford from 3 to 28 February before proceeding to Etaples, France from Folkestone, Kent on 10 April. He joined his unit on 13 April and attended a School of Instruction from 11 May to 19 May. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 15 June, then Corporal on 2 October 1917.
After a week in hospital with laryngitis in November he re-joined his unit on 13 November 1917. On 17 January 1918, he was charged with being absent without leave and reprimanded with 1 day’s forfeiture of pay.
He was granted leave in England for about 2 weeks and re-joined his unit in France on 26 February 1918.
He suffered a gunshot wound to the head on 25 April and was transferred to the 12th Casualty Clearing Station where he died on 27 April 1918.
He was buried at Longpre-les-Corps Saints British Cemetery, Abbeville, Picardie, France.
Online Resources
National Archives of Australia
National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers
Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages
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