HOWLETT, Alexander Harold James
| Service Number: | 26 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Albert Park, Victoria, Australia, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Albert Park, Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | State School Teacher |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Oct 1914: | Involvement Sergeant, 26, 2nd Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orvieto embarkation_ship_number: A3 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1914: | Embarked Sergeant, 26, 2nd Field Company Engineers, HMAT Orvieto, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Tserkezidis
Alexander ('Alec') Harold James Howlett became Registered Player Number 0475 at VFA club Port Melbourne in 1913 and went on to play in 24 senior games before enlisting with the AIF on 21 August 1914 at the age of 25 years & 8 months. His Port Melbourne team mates knick-named him “Chook”, he was an excellent wingman.
Alexander was a school teacher at the Graham Street Port Melbourne State School and he was a naturally gifted sportsman. He first came to public notice in 1911 when (at the age of just 20) he was one of two instructors at the Port Melbourne Swimming Club and under Howlett’s captaincy the club became well known for its life saving proficiency. While his football team mates were getting ready for the 1915 season, Howlett was already in Egypt training with the AIF and whilst there he became captain of one of the first Australian football teams formed in Egypt by the troops. He had also progressed through the military ranks from being a Sapper through to a Sergeant.
On 30 April 1915 at Gallipoli Alexander was shot by a sniper and was hospitalized for several months but he did not want to return to Australia until the war was over.
By June 1916 the now Second Lieutenant Alexander was in England and in November that year he attended an English Officer’s training school which then led to him training to be a combat pilot. In February 1918 he was flying combat missions for the British Royal Air Force with success scored against German planes but not long after on 27 May 1918 he had taken a commission in the Indian Imperial Army and moved to Bombay.
Alexander briefly returned to Australia in 1922 whilst on furlough from the Indian Army which at the time was at the start of the VFA Football season and he joined the Port Melbourne team for its first two games and he took up his former position on the wing after a long absence of 6 years. The club announced that “Captain Howlett of the Indian Army has rejoined his old team”.
Following the above and his return to India, there is no other known information about Alexander and it is very likely that he did not return to Australia.
(Port Melbourne Football Club Heritage Museum)
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