Year of birth: 1889

Place of birth: Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia

Profession: Baker

Country: Australia

Force: Australian Imperial Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 1751

Enlistment date: 26/02/1916

Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Units:  —  Australian Infantry, 59th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 26/29/1917

Place of death: Hooge, Zillebeke, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 28

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Private Albert Woolhouse was part of the 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry, 15th Australian Brigade, 5th Australian Division. This battalion took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917. The 59th Battalion attacked on the right side of the jump off line on the south edge of Polygon Wood. The attack went well and the first objective was taken by the 59th Battalion, other battalions pushed forward to the second objective. The final positions of the 59th Battalion attack were Jetty Wood on the left, through pillboxes (J.10.c.9.8.) to the South-East Corner of Polygon Wood. This line was consolidated and held despite German counterattacks.
The Red Cross Wounded and Missing files state that Private Albert Woolhouse was struck by a shell near pillboxes behind the line. Heavily wounded, he was taken by stretcher bearers to the first dressing station and then to the Regimental Aid Post. One source stated that the three men (Private Woolhouse and the stretcher bearers) were never seen again and thought something happened to them on the way to an Aid Post operated by the 14th or 15th Australian Field Ambulance. On the 5th of October he was listed as ‘wounded and missing’ in the attack on the 26th of September, which seems to correspond to the above mentioned sources. However, he was later listed as ‘killed in action’ and confirmed to be buried by the 5th Division Burial Officer. The location of his grave was reported to be in the rear of Hooge Crater (I.18.a.7.9.). The 14th Australian Field Ambulance was operating near Hooge Crater. It's most likely that Private Albert Woolhouse reached this position, but succumbed to his wounds. His grave was lost during the war, possibly destroyed by shell fire.

AIF Project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=332028 Sources used

Chris McCarthy, Passchendaele : The Day-by-Day account, 2018, 94-95. Sources used

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1602118/woolhouse,-albert/ Sources used

Discovering Anzacs http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/ Sources used

Red Cross Wounded and Missing File and Embarkation Roll https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search?query=Woolhouse+1751 Sources used

Service Record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au Sources used

The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used

War Diary 14th Australian Field Ambulance https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339239 Sources used

War Diary 59th Bn. Australian Infantry https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339120 Sources used