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COTHER, Albert Edwin MM (1881-1956)

COTHER, Albert Edwin MM (1881-1956)


Albert Cother was enrolled at Geelong College on 9 August 1898 as a day student and recorded as 'Albert Edward Cother' although most other sources including his birth and death registrations list him as 'Albert Edwin Cother'. His entry address was Hermitage Road, Newtown. He served in the Senior Cadets at Geelong College for 3 years. He had been born on 27 September 1881, the eldest of six children of William James Cother and Emily Leyland nee Evans.

He married Eily Mary Coghlan, and was working as a station overseer prior to his enlistment (No 2984) during World War I on 12 July 1915 in the 12 Field Company Engineers.

He embarked on HMAT A40 Ceramic on 24 November 1915 for Egypt and France, where he was awarded the Military Service Medal, gazetted 17 June 1918, the citation read:
'By his unremitting energy and great veterinary skill he has maintained the efficieny of the horse transport for the period 22 September 1917 to 24 February 1918, in spite of unfavourable weather conditions and indifferent stabling. At the same time he has kept a high standard of discipline among the Drivers, though owing to the scattered nature of Engineers work it was seldom possible to have an officer continually on duty at the horse lines.'

In February 1919 he was returned to England and trained as a wool classer at Collins and Sons and Francis Wiley and Company in Bradford. (Attestation Record) He returned to Australia, embarking on 8 September 1919.

His father, William James Cother also served at the age of 60, as a Veterinary Surgeon, in 1916, assisting on Sea Transport Duty on the voyage to Suez on HMAT A 53 Itria (see Attestation records).

Albert died on 12 April 1956 at Narracoorte, South Australia.

The Australian War Memorial (AWM) Photographic Collection includes an image of a group portrait of engineers of the 12th Field Company, 4th Australian Division at Argenvillers, France on 1 April 1917, including Sergeant A E Cother MM.


Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck; p.159 (citing Pegasus; Australian War Memorial; National Archives; AWM E01978).
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