FIELD, Alwyn Stewart
| Service Number: | 3530 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 August 1915, Served for 3 years as a Sergeant in the Senior Cadets; 1 year in the 91st Infantry, Citizen Military Forces |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 52nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Devonport, Tasmania, Australia, 7 October 1896 |
| Home Town: | Devonport, Devonport, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Lagnicourt, France, 2 April 1917, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Pozières British Cemetery Plot II, Row D, Grave No. 33 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Devonport Cenotaph |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3530, 12th Infantry Battalion, Served for 3 years as a Sergeant in the Senior Cadets; 1 year in the 91st Infantry, Citizen Military Forces | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 3530, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 3530, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne | |
| 2 Apr 1917: | Involvement Private, 3530, 52nd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3530 awm_unit: 52nd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-04-02 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Vicki Purnell, Tasmania
Alwyn Stewart Field was born on 7 October 1896 and was the youngest child of four children and second son of Samuel and Alice Field (Upward) of Spreyton. His older brother Lieut. Samuel (Kenneth) Field had previously enlisted in 1914 and was already a Gallipoli veteran. Alwyn was a member of the 91st infantry in Devonport and was eager to join up and follow his brother but was initially rejected due to his age. He was finally accepted in mid July 1915.
Alwyn’s family ran a successful business known as Field’s Seeds and he was a specialist salesman there. The business propagated and sold seeds for agricultural use and presented what was said to be a magnificent display at the Devonport Show each year. The family also branched out into milling their own wholemeal flour which sold well into WW2.
In 1916 the firm put out a statement as to the reason they did not put on a display at the Show for that year. “Preparation of the exhibits entails considerable time and care, and as the firm's employees, including Lieutenant Ken. Field and Corporal Alwyn Field, have now, for varying periods, been engaged in the defence of the Empire and civilisation, leaving to carry on the business only those who are not eligible for military service, it was decided that the time was not opportune for show work.”
In the years leading up to their enlistment Alwyn and his older brother Ken were members of the scouts with Ken acting as the scoutmaster.
As with Phillip Nothrop, Alwyn also officially enlisted on 4 August 1915 after arriving in Claremont. His service number was 3530 (two numbers before Phillip), he was 18 years and 10 months old and entered with the rank of Corporal. He was a tall lad standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall with light brown hair and grey eyes.
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