Albert TRIPCONY #5655

Indigenous Australian, Albert Tripcony, 25th Infantry Battalion

Albert 'Bertie' Tripcony was the eldest son of Thomas Buchanan Tripcony and Mary Rose Tyrell Rollins. Born on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) in 1892 he was working as an oysterman before he volunteered to serve with the First AIF in February 1916.

Tripocony first trained with the infantry at Bell's Paddock, Enoggera, Brisbane, where this photograph was taken, at one of the tent-studios outside the barracks.

Tripcony left Australia on board the troopship 'Clan MacGillivray' in September 1916 with the 15th Reinforcements for the 25th Infantry Battalion. They arrived in England late November and within four weeks had proceeded to France to join their battalion at Buire, just prior to their move to Fricourt, east of Amiens.

In the first week of May 1917, Tripcony was reported missing during the Second Battle of Bullecourt. Later information revealed that he was in fact killed outright by a shell and was buried in the field where he fell.

Enquiries were made of his comrades regarding the circumstances of his death via the Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau, whose files have been preserved within the collections held at the Australian War Memorial. Several men who knew Albert 'Trip' Tripcony recounted the events that led to his death and are described therein.

As the war continued many graves of the fallen became indistinguishable, Albert Tripcony is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial which stands within Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery.

The memorial was erected to commemorate all Australian soldiers who fought in France and Belgium during the First World War, to their dead, and especially to name those of the dead whose graves are not known.

Albert Tripcony is also commemorated on the Roll of Honour at the Dunwich Hall, Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island).

Albert's younger brother Vincent also served with the First AIF and would have been in France at the same time as his brother. Gunner Vincent Tripcony although severely wounded in action, survived his service with the 11th Machine Gun Company, returned to Australia in July 1919.

Read more ...

• SERVICE RECORD: TRIPCONY, Albert
• EMBARKATION ROLL: 15th Reinf. 25th Infantry Battalion
• Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau files
• One of the soldiers featured in SLQ’s HistoryPin Collection

Watch ...

• Queensland’s Indigenous Servicemen [mp4, 12 mins]

The information in this blog post has been researched by State Library staff and volunteers, it is based on available information at this time. If you have more information that you would like to share or further research uncovers new findings, this post will be updated.