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: |
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.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Saint 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
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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