MCALISTER, David Lindsay
| Service Number: | 4054 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 September 1915, Cootamundra, and assigned to 4th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement intake. |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 15th Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia, 12 October 1885 |
| Home Town: | Gundagai, Gundagai, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Gundagai Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, Belgium, 26 September 1917, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated: - Panel 7, Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gundagai War Memorial, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4054, Depot Battalion , Cootamundra, and assigned to 4th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement intake. | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 4054, 4th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 4054, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Sydney | |
| 26 Sep 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 4054, 15th Field Company Engineers, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4054 awm_unit: 15th Field Company, Australian Engineers awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-09-26 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Corporal Dave McAlister, of Gundagai, was reported to be the champion rifle shot of Australia, when he was killed in action on 26 September 1917. He was not only Australia’s champion rifle shot, but also the champion shot of the British Dominions when he entered the ranks. For years he was a rifle range enthusiast, and in all Gundagai district matches swept the board. In 1913 he won the King’s Prize at the big N.R.C. meeting in Sydney, after a sensational finish with the Victorian champion. The same year he won the King’s at Adelaide, and in 1914 he went to England, and shot at Bisley, the Mecca of riflemen. Against the picked shots of the world, he proved his mettle, winning the blue ribband of rifle shooting the King’s Prize at Bisley. Then he went north and won the Service Championship of Scotland. He came back to Australia laden with trophies (some 30 odd) which he had won. Altogether, he possessed 50 beautiful trophies and medals he won in rifle competitions.
He died during the Battle of Polygon Wood, probably by shell fire, and has no known grave. Two of his brothers also served in the AIF.
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