CHRISTMASS, Alfred James
| Service Numbers: | 5352, W27563 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 February 1916, Blackboy Hill, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Northam, Western Australia, 17 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Grass Valley, Northam, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Accidental (struck by falling tree limb), Arthur River, Western Australia, 8 May 1952, aged 58 years |
| Cemetery: |
Northam Cemetery Garden of Remembrance, Karrakatta |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Northam Memorial Hospital |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Blackboy Hill, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Apr 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5352, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5352, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Aeneas, Fremantle | |
| 5 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
World War 2 Service
| 5 Feb 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, W27563 |
|---|
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5352 Pte. Alfred James Christmass was with the 16 battalion 17 reinforcements, he was in the 4th Australian division France. On 11 Apr 1917 in the first battle of Bullecourt he was in an attack force that had reached Riencourt but was cut off for lack of support. Taken prisoner he was sent to several German prison camps before being put to work on a farm in Germany. Learning fluent German he kept in contact with the farms family after the war.
He enlisted again in WW2 this time in the Garrison Force in Fremantle, Western Australia, he was manpowered out due to the severe male labour shortage at that time. He was tragically killed in 1952 while working for the Government run War Service Settlement Scheme, clearing land for returned serviceman at Arthur River, a tree branch broke his neck.
"MAN KILLED WHEN TREE LIMB SNAPS
A man was killed almost instantly at Arthur River about 3.30 yesterday afternoon when he was crushed by a large limb of a tree which fell on him. He was A. J. Christmass (58). The man was assisting to load a seeding machine on to a truck when the accident occurred. An endless chain was fixed to the limb of a tree, and a block and tackle were being used to hoist the seeder. The weight caused the limb to snap suddenly." - from the West Australian 09 May 1952 (nla.gov.au)
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