ALTERATOR, John William
| Service Number: | N105010 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 February 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Scone, New South Wales, Australia, 15 October 1898 |
| Home Town: | Scone, Upper Hunter Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Shearer |
| Died: | Redfern, New South Wales, Australia, 15 August 1955, aged 56 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 28 Feb 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N105010 | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul 1942: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N105010 |
John William Alterator
John William was my great-uncle. Sadly, he passed away before I was born, but, as I grew up, he was often spoken of by my g-grandmother, Margaret (nee Schofield) Alterator and by my grandmother Rita Irene Florence (nee Alterator) Trenerry.
John William (Jack) Alterator
Born 15 Oct 1898 in New South Wales, Australiamap
Son of John William Alterator and Margaret (Schofield) Alterator
Brother of Ivy Margaret Alterator, James Henry Glendenning Alterator, Rita (Alterator) Trenerry, Doris Lilian (Alterator) Newman and Arthur Reginald Lancelot Alterator OAM [add sibling]
Husband of Mavis Olive Eileen (Eden) Kelly — married 18 Jun 1921 (to 1936) in St Thomas Church, Wellington, NZmap
Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Rindfleish) Alterator — married 1937 in Waverley SYD NSWmap
Husband of Ruby Amelia (Rixon) Alterator — married 1940 in Waverley, NSWmap
[add spouse?]
Father of Mavis Alterator and Ronald Douglas Alterator [add child]
Died 15 Aug 1955 at age 56 in Redfern, NSW
Uncle Jack married (I was told) 3 times. I found two of the marriages on NSW
Birth, Deaths and Marriages records:
4212/1937 ALTERATOR JOHN WILLIAM RINDFLEISH MARY ELIZABETH WAVERLEY
20880/1940 ALTERATOR JOHN WILLIAM WHITE RUBY AMELIA WAVERLEY
His first wife was Mavis Olive Eileen Eden (born NZ 1903) They married in NZ in 1921 [1][2]
“John William Alterator v Mavis Olive Ileen Alterator (formerly Eden). Marriage,, June, 1921, at Wellington, New Zealand,, Church of England rites. Issue, desertion for three years and upwards. Decree nisi. Mr. Greaves for petitioner[3]
Mavis left him and went back to NZ, taking "Phemie" (Euphemia) their daughter with her. She left a note saying that. [4]
In a memorial notice published for her brother Leonard EDEN, who died in 1943, Eileen mentions three others in her family: husband Bill [Kelly], Phemia and Jack [5]
{Need to research information about Jack's short-lived 2nd marriage to Mary Elizabeth Rindfleish}
Fellow researcher, Kerrie Beers believes Jack's soon-to-be mother-in-law Ellen Rixon moved to Sydney around 1940 with daughter Ruby about that time and helped her run the boarding house at Henrietta Street Waverley. This move to Sydney appears to have coincided with Ruby's divorce in 1940 from Edward White and later marriage to Jack Alterator, who by the look of things had worked as a shearer. (like his father)
Months later, in February 1941, Jack joined the army, and was discharged twelve months later with shellshock. JW Alterator was in Darwin for the bombing Feb 19 1942. He had just left the PO when it scored a direct hit. He was found with the skin of his hands raw, trying to dig to safety in the ground. He was never the same after that, said his family. He was also involved in a tram accident and had a steel plate in his head.
In about 1942 or 1943, Ruby and Jack moved to Brisbane, and during this time Ellen Rixon lived with her other daughter, Bertha and son-in-law, Charles Dunn in Lismore. According to the Electoral Rolls, however, she had left Lismore by 1946, presumably returning to live with Ruby and Jack who had by then returned to Sydney." https://jamesobrien.id.au/genealogy/william-rixon-and-ellen-laing/
Jack Alterator passed away in 1955 age 56 ALTERATOR John William Death notice 15AUG1955 Death 56 at R.G.H., Concor[6]
2020 anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin
Today is the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin in 1942. My great uncle, John William 'Jack' Alterator, was caught in it. He was coming out of the Post office when it got a direct hit. He was found alive a little bit away with no skin on his hands because he was trying to dig to 'safety'. He told us that everyone in the PO was killed, but in a special a few years ago, they spoke to the only survivor. He was only in his late teens when he got a job there. He heard the sirens and the boss told them all to head for the shelters. He was out when he remembered he hadn't locked the till, so he went back in. When he came out, he saw the boss with the female workers going left into the shelter, but for some reason, he turned right and was following a man who had just left the PO.....THAT HAD TO BE MY GREAT UNCLE!!!! They both survived but in the shelter everyone died. Imagine that survivor's story confirming what our great uncle had told his family and that they told us when we were kids! It was so eerie listening to it. I wish mum were around so I could tell her. -memories of Susan Scarcella
Children
1. Ronald Alterator (1925-1986) Ronald married Upoko Alterator (born Pu Tamaiva). Upoko was born in Arorangi Rarotonga. They had 3 children: William Ronald (Bill) Alterator and 2 other children. Memory of Carlie Alterator-Mamari: Ronald (Ron) Alterator and Teupoko Pativai (Pat) Alterator were my grandparents. Nans maiden name is Tamaiva, she is from Aorangi, Rarotonga. -https://www.facebook.com/groups/284096904948749/
2. Euphemia 'Phemie" Alterator 3. John Francis Eden Alterator (1923-2005) 4. Mavis Rita m Chapman 'Bill' Van Lawick 1940 d 2008
Submitted 1 February 2023 by Susan Scarcella
Biography contributed by Susan Scarcella
John William (Jack) Alterator
Born 15 Oct 1898 in New South Wales, Australia
Son of John William Alterator and Margaret (Schofield) Alterator
Brother of Ivy Margaret Alterator, James Henry Glendenning Alterator, Rita (Alterator) Trenerry, Doris Lilian (Alterator) Newman and Arthur Reginald Lancelot Alterator OAM
Husband of Mavis Olive Eileen (Eden) Kelly — married 18 Jun 1921 (to 1936) in St Thomas Church, Wellington, NZ
Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Rindfleish) Alterator — married 1937 in Waverley SYD NSW
Husband of Ruby Amelia (Rixon) Alterator — married 1940 in Waverley, NSW
Father of Mavis Alterator and Ronald Douglas Alterator
Died 15 Aug 1955 at age 56 in Redfern, NSW
Uncle Jack married (I was told) 3 times. I found two of the marriages on NSW Birth, Deaths and Marriages records:
4212/1937 ALTERATOR JOHN WILLIAM RINDFLEISH MARY ELIZABETH WAVERLEY
20880/1940 ALTERATOR JOHN WILLIAM WHITE RUBY AMELIA WAVERLEY
His first wife was Mavis Olive Eileen Eden (born NZ 1903) They married in NZ in 1921 [1][2]
“John William Alterator v Mavis Olive Ileen Alterator (formerly Eden). Marriage,, June, 1921, at Wellington, New Zealand,, Church of England rites. Issue, desertion for three years and upwards. Decree nisi. Mr. Greaves for petitioner[3]
Mavis left him and went back to NZ, taking "Phemie" (Euphemia) their daughter with her. She left a note saying that. [4]
In a memorial notice published for her brother Leonard EDEN, who died in 1943, Eileen mentions three others in her family: husband Bill [Kelly], Phemia and Jack [5]
{Need to research information about Jack's short-lived 2nd marriage to Mary Elizabeth Rindfleish}
Fellow researcher, Kerrie Beers believes Jack's soon-to-be mother-in-law Ellen Rixon moved to Sydney around 1940 with daughter Ruby about that time and helped her run the boarding house at Henrietta Street Waverley. This move to Sydney appears to have co-incided with Ruby divorce in 1940 from Edward White and later marriage to Jack Alterator, who by the look of things had worked as a shearer.
Months later, in February 1941, Jack joined the army, and was discharged twelve months later with shellshock. W Alterator was in Darwin for the bombing Feb 19 1942. He had just left the PO when it scored a direct hit. He was found with the skin of his hands raw, trying to dig to safety in the ground. He was never the same after that, said his family. He was also involved in a tram accident and had a steel plate in his head.
In about 1942 or 1943, Ruby and Jack moved to Brisbane, and during this time Ellen Rixon lived with her other daughter, Bertha and son-in-law, Charles Dunn in Lismore. According to the Electoral Rolls, however, she had left Lismore by 1946, presumably returning to live with Ruby and Jack who had by then returned to Sydney." https://jamesobrien.id.au/genealogy/william-rixon-and-ellen-laing/
Jack Alterator passed away in 1955 age 56 ALTERATOR John William Death notice 15AUG1955 Death 56 at R.G.H., Concor[6]
2020 anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin
Today is the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin in 1942. My great uncle, John William 'Jack' Alterator, was caught in it. He was coming out of the Post office when it got a direct hit. He was found alive a little bit away with no skin on his hands because he was trying to dig to 'safety'. He told us that everyone in the PO was killed, but in a special a few years ago, they spoke to the only survivor. He was only in his late teens when he got a job there. He heard the sirens and the boss told them all to head for the shelters. He was out when he remembered he hadn't locked the till, so he went back in. When he came out, he saw the boss with the female workers going left into the shelter, but for some reason, he turned right and was following a man who had just left the PO.....THAT HAD TO BE MY GREAT UNCLE!!!! They both survived but in the shelter everyone died. Imagine that survivor's story confirming what our great uncle had told us when we were kids! It was so eerie listening to it. I wish mum were around so I could tell her. -memories of Susan Scarcella
Children
1. Ronald Alterator (1925-1986) Ronald married Upoko Alterator (born Pu Tamaiva). Upoko was born in Arorangi Rarotonga. They had 3 children: William Ronald (Bill) Alterator and 2 other children. Memory of Carlie Alterator-Mamari: Ronald (Ron) Alterator and Teupoko Pativai (Pat) Alterator were my grandparents. Nans maiden name is Tamaiva, she is from Aorangi, Rarotonga. -https://www.facebook.com/groups/284096904948749/
2. Euphemia 'Phemie" Alterator 3. John Francis Eden Alterator (1923-2005) 4. Mavis Rita m Chapman 'Bill' Van Lawick 1940 d 2008
War Service
ALTERATOR, John William Service Number: N105010 Enlisted: 28 February 1941 Last Rank: Private Born: SCONE, NSW, 15 October 1898
World War 2 Service 28 Feb 1941: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SN N105010 8 Jul 1942: Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SN N105010(4)
Sources
↑ http://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz>
↑ NZ Marriage registration 1921/314
↑ Sydney Morning Herald of Friday 7 February 1936.
↑ http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/items/353004 Divorce papers John William Alterator Mavis Olive Eileen Alterator, Julian OReilly Date range: 10/10/1929 to 09/04/1931 Item Number Or Control Symbol: 1480/1929 Location: Western Sydney Records Centre, Kingswood
↑ Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 143, 19 June 1945
↑ Sydney Morning Herald16AUG1955
family knowledge
(4) https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1546346
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