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Alfred Richard Herbert Bugden - Information

Alfred Richard Herbert was born in Campbelltown c1879 to Anne and Alfred Bugden. When the war commenced, Alfred was residing with a Mrs R. H. Grigg in Camden. At the time, he was supporting himself completing a 2 year apprenticeship as a blacksmith. He was close to his family, such as his brother Clifford who also resided in Camden. Sadly, Alfred’s mother passed away in 1915. The following year, he decided to enlist in the AIF in Liverpool on the 3rd of January, aged 37. During training, Alfred was made a Private to C Company, 13th Battalion. He embarked Sydney onboard the HMAT Star of Victoria on the 31st of March 1916.

Alfred landed in Egypt, and shortly reported sick to Abbassia with the measles. He was then admitted to No. 2 Stationary Hospital in Tel-el-Kebir in mid May. In early August, he shipped out from Alexandria to England for further instruction. In late September, he left London for the Western Front. In France, he joined the 13th Battalion while they were in a quiet section of the line. However, they were shortly taken back south to spend the winter in the Somme Sector. Alfred was then transferred to the 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery in mid February 1917. Towards the end of the year, he was experiencing health problems. He had contracted venereal disease, which took him out of the line from August until December. Then in mid January, he was evacuated to England and admitted to the 5th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth suffering with laryngitis. A medical review board found that he was unfit for further active service, and therefore was invalided back to Australia with bronchitis.