ALFORD, Ronald King Somerset
| Service Number: | 19811 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 August 1917, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 10th Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Roma, Queensland, Australia, 20 February 1898 |
| Home Town: | Corfield, Winton, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Toowoomba Grammar School, The Southport School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Grazier |
| Died: | Rheumatic fever, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, 7 December 1918, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery, Queensland C.E. Old 1784 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, The Southport School Honour Roll, Toowoomba Grammar School WW1 Honour Board, Toowoomba Grammar School WW1 In Memoriam Honour Board, Toowoomba Roll of Honour WW1, Toowoomba St James' M2, Toowoomba War Memorial (Mothers' Memorial) |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Aug 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 19811, Reinforcements WW1, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Nov 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 19811, Field Company Engineers, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Nov 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 19811, Field Company Engineers, HMAT Nestor, Melbourne | |
| 7 Dec 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 19811, 10th Field Company Engineers, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 19811 awm_unit: 10 Field Company awm_rank: Sapper awm_died_date: 1918-12-07 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Ronald King Somerset ALFORD was born on 20th February, 1898 in Roma, Queensland - he stated on his AWM file he was born in 1896
His parents were Henry King ALFORD and Augusta Florence KATES
He enlisted in Brisbane on 1st August, 1917 and embarked with the 10th Field Company Engineers in the August Reinforcements on the ship HMAT Nestor on 21st November, 1917
Ronald became ill in Suez and was evacuated to England & was admitted to Tidworth Hospital on 3rd February, 1918 with Rheumatic fever & influenza
He returned to Australia on 24th March, 1918 on the ship HT Medic and was discharged on 30th October, 1918
On 7th December, 1918 at Toowoomba he died from the effects of rheumatic fever aged 20 years & 10 months and is buried in Drayton/Toowoomba Cemetery - his name is also memorialised on the Australian War Memorial
He was awarded the British War Medal & the Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
The death occurred at a private hospital in the city on Saturday monring of Private R.K.S. Alford, son of Mr. H.K. Alford, a former mayor of Toowoomba and Mrs. Alford, and the remains were interred yesterday morning at the cemetery, with military honour being accorded the deceased. Private Alford, who enlisted some considerable time ago, and left Australia with the Field Engineers, was stricken down with rheumatic fever shortley after his arrival in England, and its effects proved so serious that he was debarred from taking any part in the actual fighting. He tried, and man can do no more. In consequence of this illness he was invalided back to Australia. It is beleived that he only entered hospital last week. The late Private Alford was just on 21 years of age and was immensely popular with his pals in the khaki, and others out of it. The funeral took place yesterday morning from St. james's Church at 9.30, and, out of respect, a number of returned soldiers in uniform marched.
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