A Gift to the Nation

On the eve of Anzac Day, 2007, the National Archives of Australia have released a mountain of scanned documents detailing the service records of World War I soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses.

As an exercise, I am tracing the history of an Corporal Albert Ernest Lock. I think he is the person who gave name to the town of Lock, South Australia. (Service number 29888).

He died of wounds in late 1917, and was buried in Belgium in 1917.

Further Notes from archives:

6th April 1917 – Assigned 102 Howitzer Battery, a part of 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 1st Division Artillery, Australian 1st Divison. He manned one of the 4 x 4.5 inch howitzers in this Battery. He was one of 71 other ranks; a part of one section, 116th Howitzer Battery, also consisting of Major Harris and 2nd Lt C Groves.

16th May 1916 – Promoted to Corporal from Gunner

20th August 1917 – Promoted to Temp. Sgt from Corporal

22th August 1917 – Wounded in Action, remained on duty (Belgium) The War Diary for the 1st Division Artillery has no enemy action on this date.

9th October 1917 – Died of Wounds / Killed in Action; during the Battle of Poelcappelle. (a part of Passchendaele). The 102 Howitzer Battery was firing on China Wood in a Search and Sweep at 11:27am. He was one of 9 ‘other ranks’ that died that week.

Buried at Huts Cemetery, Dickebusch (Dikkebus), Belgium. (Divisional Diary of that Month)

Father was Albert Lock, stationmaster at Bridgewater, South Australia.  Mother Mary Jessie Ann Lock. Sister, Sister Majorie Ellen Lock.

In will assigned Hundred of Roby County of Bacclaugh numbered 9, Purchase 6784 Register Book volume 573 Folio 9 to his father. Was he a clerk in the railways on Eyre Peninsula?