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Thread: Gallipoli KIA Victory Medal

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    Default Gallipoli KIA Victory Medal

    Albert Middleton Cheetham was a 31 year old station hand when he joined the AIF and was allotted number 717 and sent to the 13th Battalion, part of the famous Monash 4th Brigade. Although born in Manchester England, he came to Australia at the age of 1 year old. His brother Rupert died after returning to Australia from war related issues and his other brother Arthur became an invalid after suffering the effects of a gas attack.

    Cheetham enlisted in the AIF on 14/8/14 at Liverpool and is listed as an original member of G company of the 13th Battalion. He embarked at Melbourne on the A38 Ulyssess on the 22/12/14. he landed at Egypt in early February 1915 and then joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Alexandra on 12/4/15 and presumably landed at Gallipoli on landing day, 25 April 1915.

    After surviving the landing and initial fighting to gain ground, he was listed as missing and eventually listed as KIA on the 3 May 1915. The 4th Brigade was among several brigades ordered to mount an attack on Turkish gains in the vicinity of Baby 700. Some brigade commanding officers managed to have their brigades pulled out before the attack, however Monash at the time did not have enough "pull" to do the same so the 4th Brigade was committed to the attack.

    Through a series of blunders by the army, Albert Cheetham was mixed up with another 13th battalion man by the name of Cheetham and this resulted in a long period of uncertainty as to his fate which appeared to be very distressing for his mother who wrote them several letters as to his fate.

    The Red Cross stepped in to try and help



    And after finding 2 eyewitnesses who saw Cheetham lying dead , he was declared as killed on 3/5/15 by a military enquiry in 1916.

    Albert Cheetham has no known grave and is remembered on the Lone Pine memorial.


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    "Lest We Forget".





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