Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alfred William Gluyas was born in Northcote Victoria in August 1895. His parents were Samuel Radford and Laura Jane Gluyas who were living at High Street in Northcote. Alfred had an older brother named Samuel, an older sister named Elsie and a younger brother named Oliver who had died as an infant. He completed a five-year apprenticeship and was a qualified cabinet maker. He had also spent two years in the cadets followed by two and a half years in the 54th (Merri) Infantry Regiment, with the last six months as a Lieutenant.  

With his parents signed permission (as he was under 21 years of age) he enlisted on the 28th of January 1916 at Melbourne and was described as 20 years and six months old, five feet four inches tall with a fair complexion, hazel eyes and auburn hair. He trained as a signaller at Broadmeadows camp in Melbourne from February 1916 and due to his previous militia experience he was quickly promoted to Staff Sergeant Major by the 8th of May 1916. He also qualified as a drill instructor during this time.  Tragedy struck Alfred’s family when his father, Samuel, died suddenly in 1916 and he was forced to discharge in May 1916 on compassionate grounds to take care of his family affairs.

Alfred re-enlisted on the 2nd of July 1917 and there was obviously a little bit of subjectivity in describing the men on their attestation papers as Alfred was now five feet seven inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.  Alfred was routinely vaccinated for Typhoid in July 1917. He returned to the Signals School at Broadmeadows, and by the 15th of August 1917 had been promoted to the rank of acting Sergeant. By the 28th of November 1917, his time at Broadmeadows was complete he was allocated to the Light Motor Wireless Section and was reverted from Acting Sergeant to Acting Corporal. This was later amended to Temporary Corporal. Alfred embarked from Sydney on the 19th of December 1917 aboard the troopship HMAT A38 ULYSSES. Just before embarkation, Alfred wrote his last will and testament, leaving everything to his mother Laura.

 On the 16th of January 1918, Alfred disembarked at Suez where he remained for two weeks before embarking on HMT EASTERN for Bombay. Upon reaching Bombay he spent four days ashore before embarking again on HMAT VARSOVA for Basra in Mesopotamia (Iraq). Alfred then made his was North to Baghdad where on the 28th of March 1918 he joined the 1st ANZAC Wireless Signals Squadron and reverted back to the rank of Sapper. It might seem strange that Alfred was up and down the ranks during his training and embarkation but due to transfers between units there may not have been the establishment, a unit only has a certain allocation of Officers, Non-Commissioned officers and troops, for Alfred to maintain his rank.

Alfred spent the next six months deployed to Mesopotamia as a signaller. He spent a two weeks in hospital in late August/early September 1918 with an unknown illness. He was re-admitted to the 36th Combined Field Ambulance Hospital on the 22nd of September 1918 and transferred to the 19th Casualty Clearing Station.  On the 25th of September 1918, the AIF sent a telegram to Laura Gluyas that simply stated:

“Madam, Regret Sapper AW Gluyas dangerously ill – Cerebro spinal Meningitis”

Alfred died of suspected Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis at the 19th Casualty Clearing Station on the 26th of September 1918 aged 23 years old. It is not clear what type of meningitis Alfred contracted but I suspect it was the bacterial kind and without the aid of antibiotics survival rates were very low. It is a disease that thrives in communal living and where poor hygiene (associated with wartime deployments) is rife. Regardless, it is not a very pleasant way to die.

The report of Alfred’s death came from Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Macpherson Barron, who was a British Doctor serving with the Indian Medical Service and also the Officer Commanding the 19th Casualty Clearance Station. He stated:

“Number 20573 Driver Gluyas, AW, Anzac Wireless, was admitted to this C.C.S from 36 Combined Field Ambulance on 22.9.18, suffering from Cerebro Spinal Meningitis. On arrival he was very ill and unconscious. He was given immediate treatment. He slept quietly, and on the 23rd his condition had much improved. In the afternoon he became quite sensible. On the 24th he became worse, and showed signs of heart failure. All possible treatment was given to him, but his condition became very grave; he became unconscious and died early on the morning of the 2th September of Heart Failure. Whilst sensible he was visited by the chaplain attached to this unit, and was buried by him at 6pm on the evening of the same day in the British cemetery at Samarra. The disease from which he died is attributable to field service.   

The British war cemetery at Samarra was on the banks of the Tigris River, about 65 miles (95km) North West of Baghdad.

In January 1919, Laura received a package from the AIF containing the identity disc of Alfred for a keepsake. In February of 1919 she received a further package containing Alfred’s personal effects consisting of:

One leather money belt

One gold boomerang pendant

Three keys

One pocket knife

Twenty-seven assorted coins

Two pocket wallets containing photos

One curio (salt spoon)

It must have been quite confronting for Laura to receive these items. Laura received the written report of Alfred’s death on the 5th of March 1919. After receiving the official report on Alfred’s death, Laura wrote back to the AIF:

“Dear Sir, having received the report of my son 20573 Sapper AW Gluyas, I thank you for all information which I have received. I am always glad to hear and know what it is possible for me to hear so far. I think I have been well informed thanking you for all that has been done and all I have asked to be done for me. Your faithfully Mrs LJ Gluyas”

Laura received Alfred’s memorial plaque in 1923, and Alfred’s medals included the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and The Victory Medal.

During the consolidation of the scattered War Cemeteries in the 1920s, Alfred’s remains were exhumed and reinterred in Baghdad’s North Gate Cemetery in Block 1, Row G, Grave 48. Laura was notified of this move in 1924. In 2019, his headstone was in good condition with the inscription ‘He died as he lived Remembered and loved by all One of the best’ clearly legible.