Military History

Embarked Fremantle per ‘Port Melbourne’ A 16 for UK 30.10.1916.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 43rd Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.
Lean disembarked at Devonport 28.12.1916. He marched in to the 11th Training Battalion at Durrington 29.12.1916. Lean proceeded overseas to France per ‘Golden Eagle’ from Folkestone 25.2.1917. Lean marched in to the 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot, where he transferred to the 43rd Infantry Battalion. 30.3.1917. The 43rd Bn spent much of 1917 flighting at Flander, in June they movd to Messines and in October around Broodseinde Ridge in the 3rd Battle of Ypres.  Lean was admitted to Hospital from the field with a septic left hand 5.4.1917, 11.4.1917 and with undisclosed sickness 5.9.1917, 19.9.1917. Lean was wounded in action, with a gunshot wound to his left leg and hand 4.10.1917. He was invalided to England per Hospital Ship (HS) ’Warilda‘, 18.10.1917 (West Australian Newspaper 3.12.1917). On recovery, he marched in to the No 7 Overseas Training Brigade at Deverell. Lean proceeded overseas to France 22.5.1918. He was invalided from the field to the UK 4.10.1918 per HS ‘Takada’ with Rheumatism (West Australian Newspaper  28.11.1918- noted ill previously reported wounded). The Medical Review Board ruled that Lean was unfit for active service and he was listed for early return to Australia.
Embarked UK for Australia per ‘Takada’ 24.12.1918.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 1.2.1919.
Discharged 29.3.1919.
Final Rank Private, 43rd Battalion Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
Medical Condition Invalided with rheumatism (previously wounded).
Awards and Medals British War Medal Victory Medal.
Notes Lean and his family moved to Byers Rd., West Midland. WA. Lean was the son of Mr and Mrs Lean of Thumbarton S.A. Lean married Ivy Fry and had 6 children. Ivy had three brothers in active service.

Photo A. Lean in 'Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire 1914-18.'  Facs. Ed. Reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press 2014 p78.
           HMAT 'Port Melbourne'. Photograph source Great Southern Cards
           Australian Soldiers en route to the Front line at Flanders, October 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E01187
           Australian Soldiers travelling to Messines Ridge, June 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00475
           Broodseinde Ridge. Australian Troops in Front Line Trenches October 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00948

Information Source
' Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire.'  Palmer and Ashworth (1922) Facsimile Edition. Published by Hesperian Press, Victoria Park. WA. 2014
AWM E01187. Australian Soldiers en route to the Front Line at Flanders, October 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E00475. Australian Soldiers travelling to Messines Ridge June 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E00948. Broodseinde Ridge. Australian Troops in Front Line Trenches October 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll Albert Lean
Great Southern Cards. HMAT 'Port Melbourne'. Photograph source Great Southern Cards website, www.greatsoutherncards.com.au
Guildford War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Lean Albert
St Matthew’s Honour Roll
West Australian Newspaper

18 Hugh Street, Guildford, WA.

Bertie St, Guildford WA

 

Associated Images