The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (5424) Private Albert Edward Beattie, 20th 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 , the story for this day was on (5424) Private Albert Edward Beattie, 20th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

5424 Private Albert Edward Beattie, 20th Battalion, AIF
KIA 25 March 1917

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Albert Edward Beattie.

Albert Beattie was born in 1887 in Tumut, New South Wales. Known as Bob, he was one of 14 children born to local farmer William Beattie and his wife Isabella. He received his education at Windowie Public School where he was a talented student and a keen athlete. On completion of his schooling, Albert studied to become a teacher and was posted to the small town of Wellington in Central West New South Wales. He was teaching at the local school there when war broke out in August 1914.

Albert Beattie enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 2nd of February 1916, having been previously rejected owing to his eyesight. He was assigned to the 14th Reinforcements of the 20th Battalion and commenced a short period of training in Australia. He embarked for active service from Sydney in August that year, sailing on board the troopship Wiltshire.

Private Beattie arrived in England on the 13th of October and proceeded to camp for additional training. He joined his unit in the front lines of France in late December 1916, just in time to spend a bitterly cold winter in the trenches.

Early 1917 was marked by the Germans strategic withdrawal to the fortified Hindenburg Line. Their retreat was followed by Allied units who seized their opportunity to push the enemy back. In advancing on the Germans, these units were confronted by well-prepared rear-guard defences and booby-trapped towns which resulted in a series of bloody clashes. In March of 1917 the town of Bapaume [pron. Ba - pome] was captured from the Germans during their retreat. Beattie’s unit established billets there and began setting up their headquarters in the local town hall.

On the 25th of March, Beattie and several others were left in the town to undertake administrative duties as the rest of their unit was sent in to repulse a German attack at Lagnicourt [pron. Lanya - core]. Billeted in the cellars of the town hall, they were unaware that the Germans had hidden a delayed action mine within the building. As they slept, the mine detonated, causing a powerful explosion which reduced the town hall to rubble. Beattie and several other men were buried alive.

Working parties dug for several days trying to remove debris and recover survivors. Discovered two days later, among the rubble of the town hall, was the body of Private Albert Beattie.

He and his comrades were buried in the local cemetery. At the conclusion of the war, his body was exhumed and reburied at Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St Vaast.

The Tumut and Adelong Times newspaper later paid tribute to Private Beattie, saying:

“The departed hero was well known and highly respected in this district. He was of a genial, happy disposition, most unselfish and loved by his comrades … the sincerest sympathy goes out to Mr and Mrs Beattie over the severe and sad loss they have sustained through the death of their brave hero and son.”

Private Albert Beattie was 30 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 Edward Beattie, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meghan Adams