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Alan enlisted at Claremont on 16 Aug 1940, and on 5 Sep 1940 he was posted to the 2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion. However, on 30 Oct 1940 he was discharged at his own request. On 2 Mar 1942 Alan re-enlisted at Caulfield, Victoria, but gave his date of birth as 4 May 1906, with wife Agnes M Donaldson, now living at 1 Beach street, East Malvern, Victoria.

On 6 March Alan was taken on strength by the 2nd Training Battalion, but on 24 Apr 1942 this changed to the 6th Training Battalion, and then on 22 May 1942 to the 34th Australian Training Battalion. On 12 Jun 1943 he had undertaken enough training to again be posted to the 2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion. On 29 Jul 1942 he was appointed Acting Corporal, with his unit having moved from Victoria to New South Wales two weeks ealier. His rank of Corporal was confirmed on 9 Oct 1942. With his unit, Alan moved again on 10 Nov 1942, this time to Atherton in north Queensland.

On 29 Jul 1943 Alan was sent to a Medium Machine Gun Instructors Course at the Small Arms School which he completed on 2 Oct 1943 when he was posted to the 13th Australian Personnel Staging Campenroute to rejoining his machine gun battalion on 10 Nov 1943. Alan was appointed Lance Sergeant on 6 May 1944 in Queensland before being sent on another training course, this time at the Field Artilery Training School. During his absence he had been promoted Sergeant, and he rejoined his unit on 20 Oct 1944 before boarding USAT Evangaline in Cairns for Aitape in New Guinea on 4 Dec 1944. With his unit he disembarked on 10 Dec 1944.

In New Guinea he was evacuated to the 2/7th Australian Field Ambulance on 26 Mar 1945, they in turn sent him to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital the following day. He returned to his unit on 11 Apr 1945. Ill soon after, on 1 May 1945 he was seen by the 104th Australian Casualty Clearing Station before being passed on to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital the next day. A week later on 9 May 1945 he was reclassified as 'B2' (left knee) and discharged to the 6th Division's Rest Camp for reallocation to a unit. Alan had, while on a evening forward patrol, slipped and fallen down a steep bank, dislocating his left knee. On 17 May 1945 he was transferred to HQ Australian Base Sub Area but two days later was admitted to the 3/14th Australian Field Ambulance with Malaria, remaining with them until 30 May 1945 when he rejoined the 3rd Base Sub Area until 13 Nov 1945 when he was transferred to the 7th Australian War Graves Unit. Ill with Malaria again he was admitted to the 2/15th Field Ambulance from 4 - 16 Dec 1945. The following day (17th December) he was posted back to Australia, disembarking on 27 Dec 1945. On 11 Feb 1946 Alan had arrived at the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot to be processed for his discharge which took place on 21 Feb 1946.

Source:birtwistlewiki.com.au