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Albert Bunting

Lance Corporal

7th Infantry Battalion

Medals Earned

  • British War Medal
  • 1914-15 Star
  • Victory Medal

Tree Information

  • Species: Ulmus Sp.
  • Planted By: Miss F. Potter
  • Plaque: 49

Additional Info

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Biography

Albert Edward Bunting was born in Maryborough, Victoria, and enlisted from Brunswick on 15th August 1914. He had lived in Ballarat previously and had attended State School there. He was 25 years of age, single and employed as a labourer. He had served for 3 years with Senior Cadets, and for five years in the 7th Australian Infantry Regiment, a militia unit. He was posted to the 7th Infantry Battalion .The 7th Battalion was raised in Victoria and together with the 5th, 6th and 8th Infantry Battalions formed the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Australian Division. The Commanding Officer of the 7th Battalion was Lieutenant Colonel H E. 'Pompey' Elliott . Private Albert Bunting, as a member of the 7th Battalion, took part in the Landing at Anzac Cove in the second wave ashore on 25th April 1915. That first day was chaotic – the boats were in the wrong place, and were out of landing order, and so the troops were mixed up and disorientated. The Turks were firing at them with machine guns and rifles. Snipers had come down the rough hills through the scrub and were shooting at the officers and junior leaders. Men were falling wounded and dead all around them. Some were dead before the boats reached the shore- others drowned as they were landed in deep water and their heavy packs held them under water.

Albert Bunting survived those first few confused days of heavy fighting and confusion. On the 8th May the 7th Battalion was ordered to advance against the entrenched Turks late in the afternoon. They advanced over open ground without artillery support. It was only when the Brigade moved back to Anzac Cove on the 15th May 1915 that a definitive roll call revealed the extent of their losses. On that day Lance Corporal Bunting was wounded by a gunshot to his right leg. He received a compound fracture of his right fibula. He was evacuated to the 15th General Hospital at Alexandria, Egypt, where he was admitted on 16th of May 1915. On the 7th November 1915 Albert Bunting embarked on HMAT Runic at Portland for the journey. He disembarked at Melbourne on 21st December 1915 and was admitted to a military hospital. A further Medical Board recommended that he was medically unfit for active service and he was discharged on 6th August 1916.

Tree No. 49, an elm, was planted in his name in the Ballarat Avenue of Honour on 4th June 1917 by Miss F. Potter, a 'Lucas girl'.

Location in Ballarat Avenue of Honour