Albert A. McMullen
Private 29 Battn CEF
Oct. 2 1923 Age 42
Lest We Forget

Private #6289891 - Albert Arthur McMullen

Albert Arthur McMullen was born on September 21, 1881 in Sidney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to Alexander and Jessie McMullen. At some point in the next 30 years his family moved to Vernon, BC. It was in Vernon on June 18, 1915 that Albert enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. At the time Albert was 34 years old and working as a painter. His age made him almost twice as old as many of the men who were enlisting at the time. He indicated on his attestation papers that he had previous militia experience with the 11th Regiment - the Irish Fusiliers of Canada. Maybe it was this previous experience that drew him to enlist. The Irish Fusiliers were only formed in August of 1913 so his interest in military service certainly bloomed late in life for him.

He was described as having blue eyes, brown hair and a 'ruddy' complexion. He was somewhere between 5 feet 6 1/2 inches and 5 foot 8 inches tall. In addition to a vaccination mark on his left arm and two scars on the small of his back, he also had a scar on his right cheek that happened when he was 19 years old.

Albert enlisted with the 47th Battalion and was sent overseas on November 13, 1915 aboard the S.S. Missanabie. Upon arrival in England he was transferred to the 29th Canadian Infantry Battalion and sent to France. When he arrived in France he was attached to the 6th Field Company of the Canadian Engineers on loan to be part of Cable Burying Party.

One interesting note in Albert's record refers to an incident that required him to be placed "under stoppages of pay". On February 10, 1917 his pay was temporarily suspended to "cover cost of repairs to government property". Apparently Albert had cut his greatcoat. His pay was restored once he had cover the value - four dollars. Eight months later, on October 6, 1917, Albert was wounded in Lens, France. He was struck by shrapnel that stuck in his upper left arm, fractured his humerus and then exited about two inches lower out the other side of his arm. Initially his wound could only be cleaned and dressed. He spent time in a hospital in Roeun until October 21 and then went to Oxford. After arriving in Oxford he had an operation on his arm to remove a fragment of bone in the middle of December.

While the 29th Battalion returned to Canada in May of 1918, Albert remained in England until, eventually, he was invalided back to Canada on October 14, 1918. It must have been difficult for Albert to remain in England knowing the rest of his battalion had already returned to Canada.

Upon his return, Albert had another operation on December 13, 1918 to graft some bone from his tibia to try and properly join the ununited fracture in his left arm. This bone graft became loose and had to be removed on January 26, 1919. An x-ray on June 30, 1919 showed that the ends of the bone were clean so another bone graft was done on September 11, 1919.

On October 10, 1919 Albert was given a medical discharge. On the discharge records it is noted that his arm was now 3 to 4 inches shorter.

Albert received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service.

Four yars later, on October 2, 1923, Albert Arthur McMullen died at the age of 42 and was buried in Mountain View Cemetary, Vancouver, B.C.

On March 11,2006 after lying in an unmarked grave for more than 80 years Albert McMullen had his grave marked with a headstone. Today over 900 Veterans graves remain unmarked in Mountain View Cemetary in Vancouver, BC.

"To honour and protect in death seems but a small return to those who have protected their country in life"

LEST WE FORGET