Alexander Findlater GILZEAN

GILZEAN, Alexander Findlater

Service Number: 2622
Enlisted: 2 August 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 19th Infantry Battalion
Born: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1896
Home Town: Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Napiershall Street Public School, Glasgow, Scotland
Occupation: Station hand
Died: Killed in Action, Pozieres, France, 26 July 1916
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

2 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2622, 19th Infantry Battalion
2 Nov 1915: Involvement Private, 2622, 19th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: ''
2 Nov 1915: Embarked Private, 2622, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney

Help us honour Alexander Findlater Gilzean's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Alexander Gilzean was born and raised in Glasgow Scotland. He came out to Australia with his mother and four brothers and a sister in April 1912, when he was about 17 years of age. Apparently, his father had already emigrated to Sydney. His mum, Euphemia Gilzean died at sea aboard the ship two weeks before they landed. When he enlisted and went overseas, Alexander managed to join the same battalion as his older brother Robert Gilzean. Alexander was killed in action at Pozieres on the 26 July 1916 and his brother 557 Robert Gilzean died of wounds at the same place the very next day.

A third and older brother 1954 John Findlater Gilzean 9th Battalion AIF, enlisted first, in early 1915 and served on Gallipoli from June 1915. He was evacuated with dysentry soon after and sent to England to recover. He was wounded again in France during August 1916, and returned to Australia at the request of father, due to his two brothers both losing their lives at Pozieres.

Read more...