Albert Ernest Brewster
Rank:
Private
Serial No:
Serial No. 978
Regiment:
4th Battalion
Suburb:
Campbelltown
Albert Ernest Brewster - Information
Albert Ernest Brewster was born in Campbelltown around 1876. When the war started, he was living at 8 Caroline St in Redfern with his wife, Kathleen, and working as a butcher. At the age of 40, he enlisted at the Royal Show Ground Camp on the 1st of March 1916. He was then stationed to the 19th Reinforcements, 4th Battalion, which left Sydney Harbour on the 22nd of August 1916 aboard the Wiltshire.
Albert's unit landed at Plymouth on the 12th of October, and by mid December proceeded overseas to France. Joining the 4th Battalion in the field, during the terrible winter, he came down with influenza and was taken to hospital on the 13th of January 1917. A week later, he was transported to England for treatment admitted to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital. Albert needed additional recuperation and was therefore, transferred to hospital in Weymouth in April. Despite his convalescence, the infection had taken quite a strain on his system. The doctors concluded that he was suffering with debility and was invalided home to Australia on the 27th of August on the HMAT Pakehe.