SLACK, Alfred Clement
| Service Number: | 956 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 November 1914, Oaklands, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | North Adelaide, Adelaide - South Australia, Australia, 3 June 1894 |
| Home Town: | North Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Beverley, Adelaide, South Australia, 8 June 1968, aged 74 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Lower North Adelaide War Memorial WW1, North Adelaide Christ Church Honour Board, North Adelaide Saint Cyprian's Anglican Church Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 956, Oaklands, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 956, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Botanist embarkation_ship_number: A59 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 956, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Botanist, Adelaide | |
| 28 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 956, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 13 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 956, 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
Help us honour Alfred Clement Slack's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Alfred was born in North Adelaide On the 3rd of June 1894.on the Before ww1, Alfred lived with his father, Enoch Slack, on Journingham Street, North Adelaide. He was not married so his father took the role of his next of kin. He worked as a labourer and had no prior military experience. Alfred had two older sisters, Mrs. A Considine and Miss D. Slack. Their family belonged to the church of England and during his service, Alfred’s sisters showed concern for him as they enquired about him during the war.
On November 25th, 1914, at the age of 20 and a half, Alfred enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force at Oaklands, South Australia. Alfred was described as a man with fair skin, light hair and blue eyes. He was assigned service number 956. Slack joined the 3rd Light Horse regiment and, in 2nd June 1915, embarked on the HMAT A59 Botanist.
On the 28th of August joined the 3rd Light Horse at Gallipoli. He was hospitalised with influenza 12th November 1915 and after treatment did not return to Gallipoli but was sent to Alexandria.
From here, he was briefly transferred to the western frontier, where he stayed for several months before returning to Egypt with his regiment. On July 18 1916 Alfred went absent without leave. This was met with a harsh punishment of 4 days of hard physical labour, and a total of 5 days’ pay forfeited. In September 1916 Alfred was sent to hospital unwell with a debility which was then diagnosed as diphtheria. After recovering, he rejoined the 3rd Light Horse in November 1916. In February 1917 he spent a few days in hospital with Pyrexia but returned to his until at the end of the month. The following year in September 1918 again he was treated for Pyrexia. Alfred took leave in October 1918 in Cairo and returned to his regiment in early November. He was repatriated back to Australia and arrived at Pt Adelaide 12th July 1919.
Alfred was discharged from the AIF 13th September 1919. He died at the age of 74 on the 3rd of June 1968 and is buried at North Road Cemetery in Nailsworth
Bibliography
Works Cited
“State Library of South Australia - Images.” State Library of South Australia, 2025, digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/search?keywords=3rd%20light%20horse%20field%20ambulance&type=all&viewtype=grid. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
“3rd Light Horse Regiment.” Vwma.org.au, 11 Nov. 2014, vwma.org.au/explore/units/180.
“Alfred Clement SLACK.” Vwma.org.au, 2025, vwma.org.au/explore/people/331071. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
“Alfred Clement Slack | South Australian Red Cross Information Bureau.” Sa.gov.au, 2025, sarcib.ww1.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/soldier/alfred-clement-slack. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
“AWM4 Subclass 10/8 - 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment.” Www.awm.gov.au, www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338849.
“Details.” Adfa.edu.au, 2024, aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=276768. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
“State Library of South Australia / All Locations.” Sa.gov.au, 2025, catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/record=b2942171. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Terrace, Victoria.
“Slack, Alfred Clement Archives.” Naa.gov.au, 2025, recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8085957&S=1. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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