DOWNIE, Alexander William
| Service Number: | 267 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 January 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Coy |
| Born: | Murrurundi, New South Wales, Australia, 10 June 1888 |
| Home Town: | Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Wickham Superior Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Loco driver (Port Waratah Locomotive Depot) |
| Died: | Maryville, New South Wales, Australia, 9 November 1967, aged 79 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW CATHOLIC 3-90. 71. |
| Memorials: | Newcastle East Hamilton Municipal District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Jan 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 267, Railway Unit (AIF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 1917: | Involvement Private, 267, Railway Unit (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Feb 1917: | Embarked Private, 267, Railway Unit (AIF), HMAT Wiltshire, Sydney | |
| 28 Nov 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 267, 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Coy, 2nd MD |
Help us honour Alexander William Downie's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery.
Served during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery.
58 years ago today, on the 11th November 1967, Corporal Alexander William Downie, 6th Australian Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company (Reg No-267), loco driver (Port Waratah Locomotive Depot), from 44 Swan Street, Hamilton, New South Wales and 100 Lindsay Street, Hamilton, N.S.W. and 6 Estell Street, Maryville, N.S.W. (1933), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 79. CATHOLIC 3-90. 71.
Born at Murrurundi, New South Wales on the 10th June 1888 to Matthew and Mary Jane Downie; husband of Lily Ida Downie nee Gardner, married 1911, Hamilton, N.S.W., died 30.4.1933, Wickham, N.S.W., name listed on Sandgate Cemetery and Find a Grave databases as Ida, sleeping at ANGLICAN 1-79, 94, unmarked grave, Alexander re-married to Margaret Downie nee Field 1936, Wickham, N.S.W., died 13.8.1983, Newcastle, N.S.W., age?, sleeping here, Alex enlisted on the 15th January 1917 with the Railway Unit, No. 1 Section at Sydney, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on the 7th February 1917.
Disembarked Devonport, England 11.4.1917.
Appointed Acting Corporal 1.10.1917. (Corporal on AWM Nominal Roll)
Granted leave to Paris from 11.2.1918 to 17.2.1918 and 14.2.1919 to 1.5.1919.
Granted leave to England from 16.9.1918 to 1.10.1918.
Commenced return to Australia 1.7.1919.
Alex arrived home on the 17th August 1919, being discharged on the 28th November 1919.
Nothing located on Trove regarding enlistment, returning home, etc.
Mr. Downie’s name has been inscribed on the Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour, Hamilton (Gregson Park) War Memorial, Hamilton Municipal District Roll of Honor and the Port Waratah Locomotive Depot Roll of Honour.
I have placed poppies and a 1914-1918 WAR label at Alex’s gravesite in remembrance of his service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.
Headstone almost unreadable.
Name not inscribed at gravesite.
Not officially commemorated.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered“.
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.