Axel ANDERSON

Badge Number: S9337, Sub Branch: Pt Pirie
S9337

ANDERSON, Axel

Service Number: 1
Enlisted: 2 February 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 27th Infantry Battalion
Born: Halenstead, Sweden, 6 September 1890
Home Town: Port Pirie, Port Pirie City and Dists, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Seaman
Died: Natural causes, Port Pirie, South Australia, 25 November 1960, aged 70 years
Cemetery: Port Pirie General Cemetery, South Australia
War Graves section; Plot A; Row A; Grave 2
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

2 Feb 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1
31 May 1915: Involvement Private, 1, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
31 May 1915: Embarked Private, 1, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide

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

Biography contributed by St Ignatius' College

Life before the war

Axel Anderson was born 6th September 1890 in Halenstead, Sweden but then moved to Port Pirie West, South Australia. Before the war, he worked as a seaman. He was single and had no children; he had a fair complexion with grey eyes, brown hair and a scar on his right arm. He was also a Protestant. Axel was 5’ 7.5 feet tall (171.45cm) and weight 135 lbs (61.7 kg). He had a mother who was also his next of kin, Mrs Augusta Anderson who lived in Halenstead, Sweden.

Life in Service

On the 2nd of February 1915, at the age of 24, Axel enlisted in Adelaide, South Australia to go to war. His journey started on the 31st of May 1915 when his unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong. On the 4th of September he joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces and embarked onboard HT Ivernia for Gallipoli. 

On the 12/9/1915, his Infantry took over the enemies’ trenches at Cheshire Ridge. Axel got a serious gun shot wound to the chest on 15/9/1915. He was wounded in action by either shrapnel or rifle fire in the frontline at the Cheshire Ridge trenches. He then evacuated onboard HS Nevassa in ANZAC. On 17/9/1915 he transferred to hospital ship HS Aquitania, for Mudros. The next day he was admitted to the 16th Casualty Clearing station and transferred to HS Aquitania that set out to England and he arrived on the 21/9/1915. Later on the 26/9/1915 he was admitted to the 5th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth, where he stayed for about 6 months. On the 17/3/1916 he commenced the return to Australia from Portsmouth on board HT Ascanius. On 26/7/1916 he was then discharged from war because he was unfit for service.

27th Infantry Battalion

Axel Anderson served for the 27th Infantry Battalion. The 27t Battalion was raised in South Australia in March 1915. Around 8000 volunteers served in the Battalion during the war, but 1169 ranks died on active service. After weeks of intensive training the Battalion embarked onboard HMAT Geelong on the 31st of May. While embarking in May, the battalion left Australia in June and headed for Egypt where they spent 2 months training and then headed for Gallipoli, where they landed on the 12th of September. They remained in Gallipoli until the evacuation in December, but Axel left shortly after arriving due to a serious injury to the chest.

After the War

Axel Anderson returned to Australia after the war. He lived a good life and died on the 28th November 1960, from natural causes in Port Pirie, South Australia at age 70. He was buried at Port Pirie General Cemetery, South Australia, War graves section; Plot A; Row A Grave 2.

Axel Anderson did not receive any major memorial, but he did receive The British War Medal, The Victory Medal and the 1914-15 Star Medal.

Bibliography

https://vwma.org.au/explore/projects/61589/edit?t=1616733127564

https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/171244

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1974384

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2084916

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1343898?image=2

https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/2

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51467

 

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Biography

Born in Halestead, SWEDEN

Mother  Mrs Augusta Anderson, Halenstead, Sweden

Described on enlisting as 24 yrs old; 5' 7.5" tall; 135 lbs;
fair complexion; grey eyes; brown hair; single; Protestant;

2/2/1915      enlisted at Keswick, SA
                   as a Private in 27th Battalion, A Company

2/2/1915      appointed to Oaklands Camp

31/5/1915    embarked from Port Adelaide, SA, onboard HMAT A2 Geelong
                   as a Private in 27th Battalion, A Company

4/9/1915      proceeded to join Mediteranean Expeditionary Forces
                   embarked onboard HT Ivernia for GALLIPOLI, ex Alexandra

15/9/1915      gun shot wound to chest - received in action, Gallipoli, ANZAC
                   admitted to 16th Casualty Clearing Station, ANZAC

15/9/1915    evacuated onboard HS Nevassa, ANZAC
17/9/1915    transferred to hospital ship HS Aquitania, for Mudros

21/9/1915    disembarked into England, off of Acquitania, from Mudros

26/9/1915    admitted to 6th Southern General Hopital, Portland, England

17/3/1916    embarked onboard HT Ascanius, ex Portland, England
                   for return to Australia.

26/7/1916    discharged from service

Medals:           1914-15 Star (393), British War Medal (3346), Victory Medal (3305)

Lived at Port Pirie West, South Australia

25/11/1960    passed away in Port Pirie, SA
buried in:       Port Pirie Cemetery
                    War Graves section; Plot A; Row A; Grave 2

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  29/4/2016.  Lest we forget.

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