Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Alfred Leslie (Alec) Pinches was born on the 25th of May 1891 at Bowden in the district of Hindmarsh, South Australia to Thomas Gunby Pinches and Elizabeth Curgenven. Thomas Pinches was with the South Australian Railways and was an under-foreman in the Islington workshops when he retired (after 51½ years) in 1921. The family lived on Prospect Road, Prospect, SA.

Schooling

Alec attended the Nailsworth and Sturt Street Schools and in December 1904 gained sufficient marks to have been awarded an exhibition to the Pupil Teachers’ School (In 1908 became Adelaide High School, AHS).

Alec attended the Pupil Teachers’ School from 1905 -1907 and passed his Junior Examinations, Senior Examinations and Higher Public Examinations in those years. While there he was a member of the Cadets.

Early Career and Sport

In August 1909 Alec was listed as the emergency for the Past team in the AHS, Past v Present Football match. By June 1910 Alec was working for the Public Supply Department and represented them in football matches played against Taxation Department and the Customs Department in July 1910 and in September 1910, he represented the Civil Service in a football against a combined Banks side.

From October 1910 to at least February 1911, Alec was a wardsman at the Adelaide Hospital, but before November 1911, Alec had transferred to the Woods and Forestry Department.

From 1910 to 1914, Alec played football for Prospect (variously known as Prospect Juniors, Prospect United and Prospect Football Club). The team was in the South Australian Association in 1910 and in the Adelaide and Suburban Association from 1911.

In 1912 Alec (who may have been called Leslie at that stage in his life) was a member of the premiership winning Prospect team.

Adelaide University

Alec commenced studying for a Diploma in Forestry at Adelaide University in 1911. In addition to passing subjects at the University, Alec also studied Surveying subjects at the School of Mines. Alec graduated with a Diploma in Forestry in December 1914.

University Sport

Football
Alec played A Grade Amateur League football for the Adelaide University in the 1912-1914 seasons. When not selected for the A Grade side, Alec continued to represent the Prospect Club in the Adelaide and Suburban Association competition.

In 1914, Alec had the distinction of playing for three different clubs and associations. He played a pre-season game for Prospect against Semaphore Centrals. He then played for Wirrabara in the Flinders Association. All his games for Adelaide University in 1914 were played in July when he was back in the city from his job at Wirrabara. He then returned to Wirrabara and was a member of the team who lost the Flinders Association grand final to Yarrowie.

Pre-War Career (continued)

Alec had been based at Wirrabara in the South Flinders Ranges for much of 1914 and played football for Wirrabara in the Flinders Ranges Association. In early 1915, Alec was transferred to Beetaloo, near Laura and the local paper reported that Alec and fellow Adelaide University footballer, Carl Schedlish, would be missed in sporting circles.

Alec registered a motor cycle (3¼ King Dick) in March 1915 giving his address as Meadows, but in June 1915 when he was looking to hire a side car he was at Prospect Road, Prospect.

World War I

On the 16th of September 1915, Alec enlisted. He was 24 years old and an Assistant Forester. He gave his mother, Elizabeth, of Prospect Road, Prospect as his next-of-kin. He was 6’ tall, 156 lbs, with a medium complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. Initially Alec was deployed as a Driver with the 6th Field Ambulance.
In October 1915, Alec became engaged to Muriel Honor Melville (born 3rd of September 1894), the daughter of Mr F Melville, Inspector of Forests, Wirrabara.

Alec left Australia onboard the HMAT Botanist A59 and disembarked at Suez on the 21st of December 1915. On 11th of March 1916, he transferred to the 21st Battery, Ismailia before proceeding from Alexandrina to Marseilles on the HMT Arcadian and joining the British Expedition Forces (B.E.F.) on the 23rd of March 1916. On the 20th of May 1916, Alec transferred to the 22nd Field Artillery Brigade (F.A.B.). He then reverted to Gunner at his own request on the 21st of December 1916. On the 13th of January 1917, he was appointed an acting Bombardier and transferred to the 15th Battery of the 5th F.A.B. on the 27th of January 1917. On the 16th of June 1917, Alec was promoted to Bombardier and on the 29th of September 1917, he became a Temporary Corporal. With the loss of life on the Front mounting, there were promotions to those who showed leadership qualities and on the 3rd of November 1917, he became a Temporary Sergeant.

From the 29th of November to the 22nd of December 1917, Alec was in England on leave. When he returned to active service in France, he was first promoted to Corporal on the 19th of January 1918 and then Sergeant on the 9th of February 1918. On the 20th of April 1918, Alec returned to England and went to Artillery Cadet School, then to St John’s Wood Cadet School, and then no 1 Royal Field Artillery Cadet School to qualify for a Commission.

Alec’s brother, Harry Roy Pinches served with the 50th Battalion. Sadly, for Alec and Harry, they did not see their mother again as she died on the 28th of October 1918, just prior to the end of WWI.

By 1st of January 1919 Alec had qualified for his Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and he returned to France on 20th of January 1919. On 1st of April 1919, Alec was promoted to Lieutenant. From the 7th of May 1919, Alec was granted various periods of leave without pay. According to later newspaper reports, Alec used the periods of Leave to undertake further studies at Oxford University.

Muriel travelled from Australia to England, via Cape Town, South Africa, onboard the HMAT A30 Borda (returning to England to pick up more troops) and arrived in London on the 14th of October 1919.

On the 11th of November 1919, Alfred Leslie Pinches married Muriel Honor Melville at St John Baptists Church, Chertsey, Surrey, England.

Alec and Muriel returned to Australia on the former troopship Megantic, which after having completed its wartime duties, been returned to the White Star Line and refitted for 1st Class accommodation. After arriving in Adelaide on 18th April 1920, Alec was honourably discharged.

Post-War Career and Family Life

Alec returned to his position with the Department of Woods and Forests and by September 1920, he was at Mt Burr Forest, Millicent, SA. While in Millicent Alec and Muriel had a daughter, Nancy Muir Pinches, born on the 19th of January 1922. Alec returned to playing football and was with the Millicent Football Club in the 1923 season and the Warriors in 1924.
In November 1924, Alec was promoted from Assistant Forester at Mount Burr to Forester at Cave Range Forest Reserve, near Naracoorte, SA.

On the 9th of March 1926, Alec and Muriel’s son, David Noel was born at the Kent Town private hospital, Adelaide.

By July 1927, Alec and his family were back in Adelaide and living at 22 Colley Terrace, Glenelg. Alec was a delegate at the Empire Forestry Conference in September and October 1928 visiting locations in Tasmania, Canberra and Sydney. E. Julius and A.L. Pinches prepared a Forestry handbook (State Library of South Australia S Australiana Pamphlets, 634.9 S726) for use at the conference.
In November 1929, Alec was one of the Government officials who inspected the Motor Plants at Birkenhead and Woodville.

In June 1932, Alec was with a delegation visiting Mt Burr and had some serious car problems driving back to Mount Gambier. After having a puncture in one tyre, after a minor accident they found car was missing a wheel entirely and sitting on the axel – it did not say if it was the wheel that had been replace earlier! At this time Alec was a Plans Officer in the Forestry Department.

In 1932 the University of Adelaide was checking details for their WW1 Roll of Honour. Alec confirmed his details.

In March 1935, Alec gave evidence on the estimated acreage of pines for planting in the South East to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Wood Pulp Agreement Bill.

Alec and his family were living at Partridge Street, Glenelg in August 1937.

Alec gave a talk at the Fire Fighters Conference at Kadina in November 1939 and in July 1940 Alec was appointed to a committee to investigate the shortage of charcoal supplies in SA.

By 1941, Alec and his family had moved to “Leawood Gardens”, Glen Osmond.

On the 29th of March 1942, Alec enlisted (SN S66245) with the rank of Sergeant. He was discharged on the 31st of March 1944. Alec’s WWII papers are not yet open to the public so nothing further is known regarding his service.

In 1943, Alec and family were living at 4 North Esplanade, Glenelg, SA. In June 1946.

Alec was appointed an Inspector in the Woods and Forests Department and by July 1946 he was the acting Conservator of Forests. He held the acting Conservator role until January 1947 and again from June 1947 for a period while the Conservator was abroad. In October 1948 when he was the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Alec attended a conference in Sydney.

Alec and Muriel’s son, David Noel Pinches became engaged to Perri Denise Turnbull, the youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs S Turnbull of Richmond, Vic in August 1946. The couple were married at Wesley College Chapel, Melbourne on 11th March 1948. They lived at South Richmond, Victoria. Their son, Michael David, was born in November 1949 and was Alec and Muriel’s first grandchild. In 1953 the couple had a daughter, Lynd Bettine Pinches.

Death

On the 11th of December 1949, Alfred Leslie (Alec) Pinches of 4 North Esplanade, Glenelg, died (aged 58) leaving his widow, Muriel, and children Nan and David. Alec was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. Muriel continued to live at Glenelg; she died on 22nd of May 1974 (aged 80) and was cremated at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.

The book ‘A hundred years of state forestry : South Australia: 1875-1975’ by N.B. Lewis, Adelaide, Woods and Forests Dept., 1975, ISBN 0724322892 includes further details on Alec’s career.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.