The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (3794) Private Albert Dew, 32nd Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (3794) Private Albert Dew, 32nd Battalion, AIF, First World War.

3794 Private Albert Dew, 32nd Battalion, AIF
KIA 30 July 1918


Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Albert Dew.
Albert Dew, known as “Bert”, was born on 10 June 1896, the eldest son of Fred and Adelaide Dew of Burra, South Australia. Albert was born on the family property, “Bluebell Farm”, and was educated at the local Burra School. After finishing school he worked the farm with his father. He was known as a “splendid horseman” and was an “enthusiastic member” of the 23rd Barossa Light Horse militia unit. Although farming took too much of his time for him to play much sport, he won prizes in horse riding at the Burra Show, and was a keen musician and member of the Burra Orchestra. Albert was also an active member of the Kooringa Methodist Church.

Albert Dew enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1916. Despite his experience in the Light Horse at home, he was posted to the 32nd Infantry Battalion, along with a number of his friends from Burra. He underwent a period of training in Australia before being sent overseas, completing his training in England. He finally reached the 32nd Battalion on the battlefields of the Western Front in February 1917.

Dew proved an able soldier and within six months was promoted to lance corporal. He wrote many cheerful letters home, often reporting on having met many “Burra boys” in various places in France. In September 1917 the 32nd Battalion participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood, one of few allied successes of that year, and Dew came though unscathed.

One month later, however, he was wounded in the arm and evacuated to hospital in Le Havre. He wrote home that the wound was “only a slight one … a slight flesh wound above the elbow.” After five days in hospital and what he described as “a course of physical drill to stretch the sinews” he was able to return to active duty.

In December 1917 the 32nd Battalion was on a train moving towards the town of Desvres when a coupling between carriages broke. One of the passengers, Private Moritz Heuzenroder, was on the train, and described what happened when the uncoupled second half of the train caught up to and hit the front half: “there were six carriages smashed like firewood. I shall never forget the sight … all those who were able got to work and helped to get the others out. It took half an hour to get them all out.” Albert Dew later wrote that “he much prefers shot and shell to an experience of that sort”.

In February 1918, Lance Corporal Dew received furlough to England. He was a few days late in returning to his battalion and as a result he was demoted to private. Shortly afterwards he fell ill with tonsillitis and was away from the battalion for nearly a month, returning in mid-March 1918.

On 29 July 1918 the 32nd Battalion attacked German positions near the French village of Morlancourt. The operation was a success, with all objectives captured within 13 minutes. Throughout the night the Germans dropped artillery and minenwerfer shells on the new Australian front line trying to disrupt the work of consolidation.

As part of this work, Private Dew and another man had dug a new position in the forward lines. One of the German minenwerfer rounds scored a direct hit on Dew and his mate as they occupied their new position, killing both instantly.

Dew’s platoon sergeant later wrote to his family, saying, “your son did his duty and was a hero. His loss, no doubt, is great to you, and I feel for you, he is also a loss to me for he was a splendid machine gunner … I must say that a finer soldier than your son would be hard to find.”

Bert’s brother Bob deeply mourned his brother, writing
Empty is your saddle
Wild your saddle mare;
I miss you from the stable,
I miss you everywhere.

Private Albert Dew’s grave was lost in subsequent fighting, and today he is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux. His family put memorial notices in the newspaper every year on the anniversary of his death well into the 1930s. One such notice read,
We often think of you, dear Bert,
And think of howyou died,
The hardest part of all was:
We could not say “Good-bye”.

Albert Dew was 22 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Albert Dew, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section