Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born 14 June 1887 in Olary, South Australia
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 399 Page: 52 District: Fro.)

Father William Henry Pennifold (b. 18/3/1860 Heathcote, VIC - d. 24/8/1924 Adelaide, SA) and
m.1.   22/11/1883 in Willochra, SA
Mother  Annie Gertrude (nee Brendan)  b. 1867 Willochra SA - d. 14/2/1904 Kadina, SA)

Siblings:
Brother     Harry Rupert Stredwick Pennifold (b. 18/5/1884 - d. 22/4/1947 Adelaide, SA)
Brother     Thomas William Pennifold (b. 14/5/1885 - d. 2/10/1935 Adelaide, SA)
Brother     Stanley Francis Pennifold (b. 21/7/1890 Bruce, SA - d. 9/2/1913 St Vincent Gulf, SA)
Brother     Albert Edward Pennifold  (b. 22/5/1892 - d. 13/6/1892 Kadina, SA)
Brother     Roy Clarence Pennifold  (b. 25/10/1894 - d. 21/12/1899 Kadina, SA)

Father's 2nd m. 27/2/1906 Kadina SA
Step mother  Mabel Gray (Southwood), b. 14/10/1883 Kadina, SA - d. 6/8/1974 Adelaide, SA

Siblings:
Sister        Eileen May Pennifold (b. 27/9/1908 Kadina, SA - d. 1990)
Sister        Dorren Grace Pennifold (b. 26/12/1910 Murray Bridge, SA - d. 17/8/1985 Elizabeth, SA)
Sister        Jessie Pennifold (b. 28/6/1912 Gawler, SA - d. 30/6/1912 Gawler, SA)
Sister        Lorna Mary Pennifold (b. 18/10/1914 Gawler, SA - d. 8/9/1993 Haywood, VIC)

5/8/1908   Alfred married - Ivy Amelia Maud Pennifold (nee Southwood)
                in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Kadina, SA
                 b. 5/8/1889 Kadina SA - d.  31/8/1942 Adelaide, SA
they lived at Wallaroo, South Australia

Children:
Daughter  Dorothy Jean Pennifold  (b. 10/11/1909 Kadina - d. ___)
Son          Alfred Roy Pennifold  (b. 11/12/1911 Balaklava - d. ___)
Son          William Max Pennifold (b. 14/8/1913 Wallaroo - d. ___)
Son          Raymond Southwood Pennifold (b. 14/6/1926 Rose Park - d. ___)

WWI - service #3549

Described on enlisting as 28 years 10 months old; married; 5' 5" tall; 142 lbs;
dark complexion; brown eyes; black hair; Congregational

27/4/1916      Enlisted at Kadina, South Australia

26/6/1916      Commanding Officer appointed Alfred to B Company, 9th reinforcements,
                     5th Pioneers, Adelaide Camp

16/9/1916      Musketry School, Acting Sergeant

1/10/1916      NCO School, Mitcham Camp

10/2/1917      Embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide, on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee
                     as a Private with the 5th Pioneer Battalion, 9th reinforcements

1/5/1917        Promoted to Lance Corporal

2/5/1917        disembarked into Devonport, England

1/7/1917        detached to 15th Training Battalion, Hurdcott
8/7/1917        On Command at Group Musketry School, Fovant
15/7/1917      detached to Pioneer Training Battalion, Hurdcott

22/9/1917      reverted to Private
22/9/1917      sick to Fovant Hospital, England
15/10/1917     transferred to 3rd Auxillary Hospital, Dartford, with Inflammed joints left knee

7/1/1918        marched out to No.4 Convalescent Depot, Hurdcott

4/2/1918        marched in from No.4 Convalescent Depot, Hurdcott to Longbridge
21/2/1918      proceeded overseas to France, Sandhill Camp

24/2/1918      marched out to 5th Pioneer Battalion, Havre, France

In March and April 1918, the battalion helped to stop the German spring offensive.

21/3/1918      sick with Influenza, admitted to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station, St Omar
17/4/1918      marched in to Australian Infantry Base Depot, Havre, France

6/5/1918        Injured with Synovitis left knee
                     marched in to Weymouth England, from France

31/7/1918      Embarked on board HT Malta, returning to Australia
28/9/1918      disembarked into Australia

1/10/1918       admitted to No.15 Australian General Hospital, Torrens Park

5/4/1919        discharged from service in WWI

Medals:
British War medal (9471) and Victory medal (19134)

After Alfred returned from war services, he found that Ivy had sold off his car carpentry tools,
so he studied accountancy and became employed as a civil servant with the Commonwealth Government.

Alfred took his accounting profession seriously and with pride. He was the South Australian first State
President of the Association of Accountants in Australia from 1933 to 1936.

Alfred joined the Scouts and was promoted to District Scoutmaster in District A. Metropolitan Area in
May 1924, after relinquishing his position as Scoutmaster of the First Norwood Troop.
In March 1936, Alfred was on the committee that formed an Old Scouts' Association with the aim to
foster the general advances of the scouts movement, to obtain a roll of old scouts, and to give
assistance to the scout movements, functions where possible

WWII - Service #S41389

WWII Described on enlisting as 54 years 9 months; married

Living at 16 Philip Avenue, Leabrook, SA and employed as an Audit Inspector, Wayville.

11/3/1942        Volunteered in WWII AIF

23/4/1942        Promoted to Lieutenant

17/5/1943        Relinquished promotion

9/7/1942          SA LofC Area with rank of Captain

16/7/1942        Enlisted in Wayville, SA, as a Captain

He was an Army Auditor with the Army Audit Corps and was paid a daily rate of 23 shillings and 6 pence.

27/7/1942        Captain Pennifold was attached to the 25th Garrison Battalion.

The strain must have been too much for Ivy with Alfred again in the army and on 31/8/1942,
Ivy took her own life.  Youngest son Raymond (16 years) was still living at home at time.
Ivy was buried in the Centennial Park cemetery, Adelaide.
Alfred could no longer live at 16 Phillip Avenue Leabrook after the death of Ivy so he sold this property
in November 1942 and also sold the property at 7 Park Road Kensington in April 1943.

26/10/1942       evacuated to 105 Australian General Hospital (nervous debility)

15/12/1942       returned to duty

17/5/1943        Ivy’s death severely affected Alfred and he was eventually discharged from service.

18/5/1943        He was placed on the servicemen’s Retired List in his substantive rank of Lieutenant.

WWII medals:  War medal

Following Alfred’s discharge, he resumed duty as Auditor in the Commonwealth Audit Office.

While in the Commonwealth Audit Office, Alfred met Isla Adele Byrne who was a great support to Alfred.

10/11/1944      Alfred and Isla married.

Due to their marriage (back then) Isla could no longer work in the Commonwealth Audit Office, so she
managed to get a job with the South Australian Audit Office. She remained there for many years until her
retirement.

Between 1945 and 1960’s Alfred and Isla lived at several places in Adelaide, namely 199 Prospect
Road (which was Isla’s father house), 14 Wilkinson Avenue Somerton Park and later at 16 Olive Court
at Glenelg.

10/2/1966       Alfred passed away
buried in:        Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, SA  (with first wife Ivy)
                      General, Path 7, Grave 387

Later, Isla went on to marry again, to a Max Jacka. This was also Max’s second marriage, his first wife
having died. Max was a farmer and he had a property at Burra 

Thank you to Kym Pennifold for his information and photo's.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  22/4/2015.  Lest we forget.

Enlisted 11 March 1942 as Captain

Dischared from military duties on 17 May 1943.

Placed on the servicemen's Retired List in his substantive rank of Lieutenant.

Completed by Oakbank Area School

Alfred James Pennifold was born on the 14th of June 1887 to parents William Henry Pennifold and Annie Gertrude Pennifold (nee Brandon). Alfred was one of 6 boys and 4 girls, Alfred was born in Olary (a railway town) in South Australia 395km northeast of Adelaide. Alfred travelled with his family toward the northern parts of South Australia and lived in towns such as Cockburn, Brinkworth, and Kadina. In 1904, when Alfred was only 17 years old his mother passed away in Kadina, South Australia.

On the 31st of January 1908, Alfred followed in his father's footsteps by entering the SA Railways in the Western District (around Kadina and Wallaroo). He became a carpenter within the railways earning 9 shillings (90 cents) daily. Some months later, on the 5th of August 1908, Alfred married Ivy Maude Amelia Southwood (see figure 2) in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Kadina. This would also be a day of double celebration as it was Ivy’s 19th birthday (born 5th August, 1889).

On the 27th of April 1916, at age 28, Alfred enlisted into the Australian Infantry Forces (AIF) Service number 3549 as a private in Kadina during WWI. Stationed at the Mitcham camp (see figure 3) as a part of his army training; he met Clifford Francis McDonald (service number 6294) from Port Broughton. Unbeknown to them, around 63 years later, their grandchildren, Kym Pennifold and Kathy McDonald would get married. On the 10th of February 1917, he embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide, on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee (see figure 4) as a Private with the 5th Pioneer Battalion, 9th reinforcements.

On the 1st of May 1917, Alfred was promoted to Lance Corporal before disembarking in Devonport, England. On the 1st of July, he detached to the 15th Training Battalion, in Hurdcott. On the 8th, he was on command at a group musketry school in Fovant, England. Only a short time later, on the 15th, Alfred was detached to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Hurdcott.

On the 22nd of September, Alfred was reserved to private rank and admitted into the infirmary at Fovant Hospital, England, where on the 15th of October, he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, with inflamed joints in his left knee. After spending three months in the hospital, Alfred was marched out to No.4 Convalescent Depot, Hurdcott on the 7th of January 1918. Later on, the 4th of February, Alfred was taken from No.4 Convalescent Depot, Hurdcott to Longbridge, where he awaited to proceed overseas until the 21st were he proceeded overseas to France, Sandhill Camp.

After 3 days of being stationed in France, Alfred marched out to the 5th Battalion, Havre, in France. From late March to late May, Alfred and the 5th Battalion helped to stop the German Spring Offensive attack along the western front. Unfortunately, Alfred fell sick with Influenza and was admitted to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station, St Omar on the 21st of March. On the 17th of April, Alfred was marched into the Australian Infantry base depot in Havre, France. After some time, Alfred then became injured with Synovitis (inflammation of the joint lining) and on the 6th of May 1918 was taken to Weymouth, England, from France.

On the 31st of June, Alfred then embarked onboard HT Malta (figure 5), returning to Australia. After being aboard for almost two months, on the 28th of September, Alfred disembarked in Australia after spending a year overseas in the war. Only 3 days later, Alfred was admitted to No.15 Australian General Hospital in Torrens Park, South Australia.

While away at war, Alfred’s wife, Ivy, sold his carpentry tools. It was thought she did this because she needed the money or she thought Alfred would not return home from the war. Ivy and their three children had left Wallaroo around February 1918 and stayed with her two sisters, Mabel and Amy and their families, in Beachport in southeast South Australia for 10 months. Ivy and the Children then later moved to Adelaide to live with Ivy’s parents at 8 Second Street, Knightsbridge (now known as 16 Phillip Avenue, Leabrook).

On the 5th of April 1919, Alfred was discharged from the Armed Forces as he was deemed medically unfit for service after being hospitalized with knee health issues. Alfred received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal (see figure 6) for his services during WWI. During Alfred's service in the war, he was assigned to the 5th Pioneer Battalion under Lt. Col. H.G. Carter. He saw action in France in Bullecourt, Aveluy, Mt Kemmel, St Quentin, Arqueves, and Corbie, and in Belgium in Ypres, Somme, Hindenburg, and Bellicourt. Unfortunately, little is known about his impact during these battles.

 After being discharged and returning to his family, Alfred, Ivy, and their children continued to live with Ivy’s parents. Alfred found that Ivy had sold his carpentry tools, so without his supplies, he decided to study accountancy and became employed as a civil servant with the Commonwealth Government. Alfred took his accounting profession with pride and incredibly seriously and eventually became South Australia’s first State President of the Associations of Accountants in Australia from 1933 to 1936.

Alfred also joined the Scouts and was promoted to district Scoutmaster in District A. Metropolitan Area in May 1924. After being a part of the Scouts for 12 years, Alfred relinquished his previous position as Scoutmaster of the first Norwood Troop in March 1936, and was on the Committee that formed the Old Scouts’ Association intending to foster the general advances of Scouts movements.

Six years later, on the 11th of March 1942, Alfred volunteered for services during World War 2 as captain. Alfred was promoted to Lieutenant status on the 23rd of April 1942, and after only a month and a half of being a Lieutenant, Alfred was relinquished of his Lieutenant status. During this time Alfred was working as an auditor at the records office of the headquarters of the South Australian Line of Communications area (SA LofC Area), he enlisted on the 16th of July 1942 at Wayville, as Captain No. S41389. He was an army auditor with the Army Audit Corps and was paid a daily rate of 23 shillings and 6 pence. Later, Alfred, was assigned to the 25th Garrison Battalion on July 27, 1942.

Unfortunately for Alfred’s wife, the strain of Alfred being back in the Army must have been too much for her to handle, and sadly on the 31st of August 1942, Ivy took her own life. Their youngest son Raymond (16 years old) was still living at home at the time of her untimely death, Alfred could no longer bear living at 16 Phillip Avenue Adelaide, after Ivy’s death so he sold the property and moved to 7 Park Road Kensington in April 1943. The death of Ivy severely affected Alfred and his mental health and he was eventually sent to 105 Australian General Hospital on November 26th, 1942, after which he returned to duty two months later on the 15th of December 1942.

Even after being cleared and returning to duty, the passing of Ivy affected his mental health so much that on the 17th of May 1943, Alfred was relieved of his duties, discharged from the military, and placed on serviceman’s retired list with his rank of Lieutenant. Following his discharge, Alfred continued his work as an auditor in the Commonwealth Audit Office. Alfred received a war medal for his contributions to WWII.

Alfred then went on to meet Isla Adele Byrne (see figure 7) while working at the Commonwealth Audit Office, and she was a great source of support for him. They then got married on the 10th of November 1944, two years after Ivy’s passing. Due to their marriage, Isla had to leave her job at the Commonwealth Audit Office. She then found a job at the South Australian Audit Office, where she worked for many years there until she eventually retired.

Life after the war for Alfred was wonderful. Alfred loved watching SANFL (South Australian National Football League) where he followed Sturt Football Club, Alfred and his wife, Adele, hosted an annual event at their home on Christmas day where they would play backyard cricket, open presents and do a family sing-along around the piano. Sadly, on the 10th of February 1966, Alfred passed suddenly, aged 78 years old.

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