Purves, Algernon Grafton
Bean Period
1915 South Wales Borderers. Interesting that this man also served at Gallipoli and whilst by definition was not an “Anzac,” his service there also, should be acknowledged. Served also in Mesopotamia awarded M.C. MID.
“Sydney, Solicitor. Rowed in Sydney University and Intercolonial eights with E.A. Tourle, another old boy.” ‘ASC Register.
PURVES, ALGERNON GRAFTON.
M.C., Arts: Captain, 4th Bn. South Wales Borderers, Mesopotamia. Enlisting at Rhys, North Wales, 16th July, 1915, and sailing in March, 1916, joined Bn. in Mesopotamia in April and was in hospital and on sick leave in India from June, 1916, to January, 1917. On recovery rejoined Bn. And served till April, 1919, returning to Australia on demobilisation. Awarded M.C. in 1918 and Mentioned In Despatches. Early education at All Saints’ College, Bathurst, the Abbey School, Beckenham, and Charterhouse. Later at St. Paul’s College.
Sydney University, Book of Remembrance
Admission of Solicitors
Algernon is listed among them.
SMH 5/3/1900 P.5.
The South Wales Borderers
9th Battalion—
Lieutenant Algernon Grafton Purves,
Unattached List, Australian Commonwealth
Military Forces, to be temporary Lieutenant.
Dated 16th July, 1915.
The London Gazette, 30 July.1915
Awarded the Military Cross.
T /Lt. (A /Capt.) Algernon Grafton Purves, S. Wales Borderers.
9966 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 26 AUGUST, 1918.
Applied for his medals 19/1/23.
PURVES--SMITH.--May 5, at St. Philip's Church, Sydney, by the Rev. F. W. Reeve, Algernon Grafton, elder son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Purves, of Edgecliff Road, Woollahra, to Alice Irene, only daughter of George Smith, Esq., of Killara.
SMH 16/6/26 P.12
State Records Primary Application - Algernon Grafton Purves and John William Lewington Purves 17 acres on road from Lake Innes to Port Macquarie and on Kooloonbung and Cattle Brook Creeks at Port Macquarie East in Shire Hastings Parish and County Macquarie Date range: 31/05/1921 to 21/10/1922.
Advertisement SMH 18/11/54 P.11 lists a firm “Purves, Moodie and Storey.
Battalions of the New Armies
4th (Service) Battalion
August 1914: formed at Brecon as part of K1 and came under orders of 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Park House Camp at Tidworth and in October 1914 went on to Chisledon. Was in billets in Cirencester by December 1914. Moved to Woking in March 1915 and embarked at Avonmouth on 29 June 1915, going to Gallipoli via Mudros and landing on Gallipoli on 15 July 1915.
Moved to Mudros in January 1916 and subsequently served in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
30.01.1916 Deployed to Egypt to defend sections of the Suez Canal.
15.02.1916 Embarked for Mesopotamia from Suez arriving at Basra 04.03.1916 1917
The Battle of Kut al Amara, The capture of the Hai Salient, The capture of Dahra Bend, The passage of the Diyala, The pursuit of the enemy towards Baghdad, Capture of Baghdad.
South Wales Borderers 4th Bn.
4th (Service) Battalion, South Wales Borderers was raised at Brecon in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's Third New Army and joined 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division which assembled on Salisbury Plain. 40th Brigade moved to Chiseldon and Cirencester in September 1914. Near the end of February the Division concentrated at Blackdown in Hampshire. They moved to the Mediterranean from the 13th of June 1915 landing at Alexandria then moving to Mudros, by the 4th of July to prepare for a landing at Gallipoli. The infantry landed on Cape Helles between the 6th and 16th of July to relieve 29th Division. They returned to Mudros at the end of the month, and the entire Division landed at ANZAC Cove between the 3rd and 5th of August. They were in action in The Battle of Sari Bair, The Battle of Russell's Top and The Battle of Hill 60, at ANZAC. Soon afterwards they transferred from ANZAC to Suvla Bay. They were evacuated from Suvla on the 19th and 20th of December 1915, and after a weeks rest they moved to the Helles bridgehead. They were in action during the last Turkish attacks at Helles on the 7th of January 1916 and were evacuated from Helles on the 8th and 9th. The Division concentrated at Port Said, holding forward posts in the Suez Canal defences. On the 12th of February 1916 they moved to Mesopotamia, to join the force being assembled near Sheikh Sa'ad for the relief of the besieged garrison at Kut al Amara. They joined the Tigris Corps on the 27th of March and were in action in the unsuccessful attempts to relieve Kut. They were in action in The Battle of Kut al Amara, The capture of the Hai Salient, the capture of Dahra Bend and The passage of the Diyala, in the pursuit of the enemy towards Baghdad. Units of the Division were the first troops to enter Baghdad, when it fell on the 11 March 1917. The Division then joined \"Marshall's Column\" and pushed north across Iraq, fighting at Delli 'Abbas, Duqma, Nahr Kalis, crossing the 'Adhaim on the 18 April and fighting at Shatt al 'Adhaim. Later in the year they were in action in the Second and Third Actions of Jabal Hamrin besides fought at Tuz Khurmatli the following April. By the 28th of May 1918, Divisional HQ had moved to Dawalib and remained there until the end of the war, enduring extreme summer temperatures.
Died 16/10/55