Albert Cramer was born July 1899 in South Yarra, Victoria. He attended South Yarra State School and later became a farrier in the small town of Fitzroy. His cousin Clarence Cramer served in the Australian Imperial Forces, but after suffering shell shock, concussion, and a fractured spine during battle, he tragically died aged just 21. Inspired by his cousin’s heroism, Albert decided to also join the forces. However, his parents would not give him their consent to enlist, they did not want their son to participate in the horrors of war that claimed many young lives; so he packed his swag and walked from Melbourne to Albury and then on to Sydney, to try and enlist where no one knew him (RSL Virtual War memorial, 2017).

When he arrived in Sydney Albert attended the recruitment office where he attempted to join the army, but when medical officers detected a slight defect in one of his eyes it was suggested that Albert needed an operation; he left Sydney and returned to Melbourne (RSL Virtual War Memorial 2017). However, determined to take part in the war, Albert again ran away from home and presented at a recruitment office in December 1914, where using the name Bert Reddaway he managed to enlist, claiming he was 18years old. He was allocated the service number 1582 and attached to the 6th Infantry Battalion (RSL Virtual War memorial, 2017).