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Albert Herbert Gostling - Information

Albert was born in Norwich, England in 1887. He left his family and migrated to Australia, settling down in Bringelly and working as a farm labourer. He then signed up on the 16th of March 1916 at the Royal Showground Camp in Sydney, aged 28. He trained in Cootamundra and was assigned to the 36th Battalion as a Private. He was then shipped overseas on the HMAT Anchises, which departed Sydney on the 24th of August 1916.

Albert landed in Devonport in early October. The following month, he and his unit were transported to the Western Front. The 36th Battalion took their place in the line, hunkering down for the winter. The Battalion got its first taste of the conflict, participating in the Battle of Messines in Belgium in early June. Albert was praised for his gallant service during the offensive. They then launched attacks during the Third Battle of Ypres. In late September, Albert reported to a Casualty Station with burns to his right hand. In 1918, heavy fighting erupted when the Germans launched their March Offensive. After helping to halt the German advance in April, Albert was transferred to the 33rd Battalion. Later in the year, the Allies began to make headway, pushing the Germans back. The Battle of Amiens commencing on the 8th of August was pivotal. Here, Albert was wounded on the 12th, hit in the shoulder. He was admitted to the 6th General Hospital in Rouen, before being evacuated to England a week later. He was treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital, and was still in England when the war ended. He was sent back to Australia on the 25th of January 1919.