Albert Cecil Fewtrell

Major-General Albert Cecil Fewtrell (1885-1950)

Fewtrell was the engineer behind the NSW Railways’ most notable landmark – the second Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge.

He was born in Chester, England, the son of John and Sarah Lilla Fewtrell. Shortly afterwards the family emigrated, his father having obtained a teaching position in Queensland.

In 1902, he joined Queensland Railways as a Cadet Mechanical Engineer at the Ipswich Railway Workshops. He transferred to the civil engineering side, and obtained a position in 1907 as a draughtsman in the Railway Construction Branch of the NSW Public Works Department, then headed by J. J. C. Bradfield, designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The above information is condensed from the introduction to a 2020 article 'Major-General Albert Cecil Fewtrell' by Frank Johnson.

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1950 Obituary

Major-General ALBERT CECIL FEWTRELL was born on the 12th March, 1885, and died at Sydney on the 16th October, 1950.

He was educated at Queensland State Schools and the Townsville Grammar School, and received his practical training as an indentured cadet under the chief mechanical engineer, Queensland Railway Department.

He joined the railway construction branch of the Public Works Department, N.S.W., as an engineering draughtsman, later being appointed a resident engineer.

In 1909 he was commissioned in the corps of Australian Engineers, and in 1915 was mobilized to organize the Australian Engineer Training Depot for the A.I.F., and later organized and commanded the 7th Field Company A.I.F.

In 1916 he embarked as a Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding the Australian Mining Battalion, A.I.F., and in France organized and commanded the 4th Australian Pioneer Battalion. In the same year he was specially selected to organize and command the 1st Anzac Light Railway Unit. He was also Australian representative on the Headquarters of the Director-General of Transportation in France....[more]

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