NEATE, Alfred Benjamin
| Service Number: | 15866 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | St.Kilda, Victoria, Australia, 9 September 1894 |
| Home Town: | Abbotsford, Boroondara, Victoria |
| Schooling: | St.Paul's Cathedral School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Tram Conductor |
| Died: | Throat Cancer, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 27 July 1955, aged 60 years |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Cremation - Cemetery location Dodonaea, Colonnade 4, Section C, Niche 11 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 15866, 5th Field Ambulance | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 15866, Army Medical Corps (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Port Napier embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 15866, Army Medical Corps (AIF), SS Port Napier, Sydney | |
| 25 Nov 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 15866, 5th Field Ambulance, Medals received: British War and Victory Medals |
Help us honour Alfred Benjamin Neate's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Linda Neate
Alfred attended the Lithgow Street, Collingwood, Primary School prior to admission to St.Paul's Anglican Cathedral school as a leading soprano chorister at the Cathedral. In later life, his vocal abilities still shone at family and friends gatherings around the piano.
WW1 Enlistment papers record Alf as 5'3.5" tall, weight of 10 stone 4 pounds, fresh complexion, blue eyes and auburn hair (a typical hair colouring of his family, in fact younger brother Albert Edward was known as "Ginger Mick" and Mick stuck with him throughout his entire life).
WW1 Medical records only record what was severe enough to prevent duties from being carried out. Alf is recorded as suffering influenza, an unspecified illness and an injury to the face. Like many returned war personnel, war service was not a subject for general discussion so details were not forthcoming.
Following discharge, Alf returned to employment as a Conductor with the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board. In his final years, he was a Revenue Receiver, based at the Glenhuntly tram depot, collecting all the tram conductors' takings from their shifts.
Alf married Fanny Storen in 1921, having met at the Abbotsford Presbyterian Church. The WW1 Honour Roll of parishioners from this church features Alfred's name and his brother William (Bill), as well as Alf on the Honour Roll in St.Paul's Anglican Cathedral as a former scholar and chorister.
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