Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Poppy Park was an initiative established to be able to link our fallen heroes with the people of a nation grateful for the sacrifice they have made. Poppy Park, saw over 102,000 commemorative artificial poppies symbolically planted with each one having the name of a fallen hero attached.

My name Alexander Sydney Yule was one of those names. At the conclusion of Poppy Park, the poppies with the names of our heroes were collected and sent to the people and organisations that purchased them, then come Remembrance Day people will have a poppy and the name of a fallen hero to personally remember.

My Poppy was sent to a 7 year old boy, who remarkably shared my same given name Alexander, and he also shares his middle name with my father John. My name will therefore never be forgotten by his family.

Master 7's mother commenced researching my history, hoping to find family decendants, and this is what she has so far learned of my short life.

Alexander Sydney Yule;
Born in 1892 in Waterloo, Australia. To parents John Yule and Selina Yule (née Baylee)
He was the third born of possibly eight children.
His siblings were Lillian A, John A, Florence M, Selina M, Andrew Charles D, Andrew C (the same as previous?), and Esther M Yule. While his parents died relativly young, his siblings all lived long lives.
He attended Erskineville Public School.
He was single, and lived in his parents house on Webber's Road, West Kogarah at the time he enrolled, however during his service the family moved to Mill street, Carlton.
He had fair hair, fair complexion and blue eyes.
He was a shop assistant by occupation.
He was 21 years and 8 months old when he enrolled on the 21 August 1914.
He had previously served 2 years as a cadet.
His mother Selina passed away in 1914. It is not clear if she passed away before or after he enrolled.
He embarked from Sydney on the 18th October 1914 on the ship HMAT Afric A19, and was 1st infantry battalion.
He escaped injury until he sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand on the 5th June 1915 in Gallipoli.
He rejoined his unit on 13th July 1915.
Not even a month later, on the 9th August 1915, he was once again wounded at Gallipoli, this time, his forearm was injured by a bomb blast.
He was taken to Mudros Greece, and transported from Mudros on the 14th August, bound for Wandsworth general hospital, London.
After recouperating in London, he disembarked on the 15th January 1916 at Alexandria, Egypt and rejoined his unit at Tel-El-Kabir.
He was appointed Lance Corporal in Tel-El-Kabir, Egypt on the 2nd February 1916, then appears was very quickly promoted to Corporal only 12days later on the 14th February.
He proceeded to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Alexandria on the 22nd March 1916, and disembarked at Marseille, France on the 28th March.
He was killed in action between the 22nd and 25th July 1916.

On the 20th June 1918, Alexanders personal effects were shipped to his father. They consisted of military books, letters, cards, photos, a note book, a pair of gloves, an air cushion and a bangle.

He was noted as being 25 when he was killed. His father was unable to attend in person to collect his memorial plaque, so his father authorised Lillian Yule his eldest child, to collect it on his behalf, which she did on the 25th November 1921.

On the 10th July 1922, eight years after Alexander had enrolled, his father accepted a Victory Medal awarded to his son. Alexander was also bestowed a British War Medal and a Star during his service.

Alexander Sydney Yule is believed to be buried in the vicinity of Pozières. He is memorialised at Villers-Bretonneux in France.
He never came home.
Lest we forget.