Albert Fountain was a five foot nine inch farmer from Clyde, Central Otago when he joined the army at the end of 1914.
Possibly due to his farming experience, he was attached to the Veterinary Corps on enlistment, eventually being transferred to the 3rd Batallion, Otago Regiment in mid-1917. During his time with the vet. corps he would have learned of the death in action of his brother, Ernest, on Gallipoli.
On October 4th, 1917, the 3rd Otagos were waiting to climb out of their trenches and attack the enemy. The night had been cold and raining and the dawn broke on an overcast, drizzly morning. Zero hour was 6am and the troops had been in position, under German shelling and rain, since 4.30.
Albert's Company, the 4th, was selected along with the 14th to lead the attack.
"At 6 a.m. our artillery broke out in thunderous concert with the enemy's guns, and moving behind a splendid barrage the Battalion advanced to the assault. The attack, once hunched, moved forward without check until the main enemy resistance was encountered, consisting of "pill-boxes," machine gun emplacements, and fortified shell-holes along the slopes of Abraham Heights. The locality of Otto Farm, the first enemy stronghold, fell to the determined attack of one section of 8th Company, and yielded 33 prisoners. Forward of this point the quagmire of the Hanebeek rendered progress exceedingly difficult, many of the attacking troops sinking almost to their thighs in the slime and filth. Van Meulen Farm and dug-outs constituted one of the main defensive points of the ridge, and with strongly emplaced machine guns and a considerable garrison, offered a resistance which eventually broke before a determined attack organised and personally led by Captain N. H, Arden, resulting in the capture of over 50 prisoners and machine guns. On the objective being gained, Captain Arden, who had been wounded early in the advance, went forward to determine the most suitable line for consolidation, and was there grievously wounded, dying a few moments after he had given his instructions. In the death of Captain Arden the Regiment lost a brave and capable officer. Command of 4th Company was now taken over by Lieut. M. Rohan." -Official History of the Otago Regiment in the Great War.
Albert was wounded on that day, taking a bullet in his right leg which resulted in amputation. It also resulted in serious illness, very possibly infection (you can only imagine what would be the ingredients of the "slime and filth" mentioned above), keeping him on the "seriously ill" list until November 5th. He remained in hospital in England for a year before he could be given leave.
In June, 1919, Albert finally boarded the HS Marama to be taken home. His mother's address (as next of kin) was on Granville St, Roslyn, Dunedin, and that is recorded as his address when he died. He was 27, far too young to have left the world.
Personal
The death occurred yesterday of Private Albert William Fountain, second son of Mr A Fountain, of Macandrew Bay. The deceased was born at Roslyn. and was educated at the Clyde School. He was employed in Dunedin when war broke out, and enlisted with the Main Body, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He was seriously wounded while on active service, and was invalided to New Zealand permanently disabled. He was an inmate of the Montecillo Convalescent Red Cross Home for some time. -Otago Daily Times, 17/6/1927.
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