PENNEY, Alfred George Stanley
| Service Number: | 3250 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 9 March 1889 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | driver |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 4 August 1916, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, New Thebarton Lodge No 23 U.A.O.D. Roll of Honour, Torrensville New Thebarton Lodge No 23 U.A.O.D. Honour Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3250, 27th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Jan 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3250, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Adelaide |
Killed in action
Alf had worked as a driver before enlisting in the AIF on 4 August 1915. He sailed to Europe aboard the Oriana, calling at Alexandria in Egypt on 21 March 1916 and arriving at Marseilles a few days later on 27 March. He was transferred to the 27th Battalion, and was reported missing on 4 August 1916.
A court of enquiry was held on 30 July 1917. After reading a statement by Alf’s colleague, Private E Hicks, the court concluded that Alf had been killed in action on 4 August 1916. Hicks stated that he was “nearly sure that Penney was killed by a shell close beside him at Pozieres on 4th Aug.”
Submitted 19 November 2014 by Frederick Knerkstein
Biography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
On March 9, 1889, Alfred George Stanley Penney was born in Adelaide, South Australia. His mother's name was Sarah Penney. Alfred was 26 years and 10 months old when he joined the army in Mitcham, Adelaide. Before enrolling, he was employed as a driver.
Alfred enlisted in the army on August 4th, 1915. On January 12th, 1916, he embarked from Australia with the 27th Infantry Battalion to begin his training in Egypt. On March 21st, 1916, he departed Egypt after completing his training. Then he disembarked in Marseilles, and three months later, on June 16, 1916, he was deployed to the front lines to hold the trenches in Pozieres. The battle of Pozieres started barely over a month after he arrived there.
On August 4, 1916, only 12 days after the Battle of Pozieres began, Alfred was reported missing and eventually declared K.I.A. (killed in action). he was awarded the British war medal and the victory medal for his service.
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