JARVIS, Alexander Watt
| Service Number: | 7728 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Scotland, 27 December 1887 |
| Home Town: | Canterbury, Canterbury, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Porter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 20 September 1918, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Dec 1917: | Involvement Private, 7728, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec 1917: | Embarked Private, 7728, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Sydney |
Help us honour Alexander Watt Jarvis's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Alexander Watt JARVIS (Service Number 7728) was born in Scotland on 27th December 1887.
He joined the NSW Government Railways in August 1912 as a porter in the Sydney District.
In January 1916 he married Alice McCulloch Ellis at St John’s Church, Sutherland.
In August 1917 he enlisted in the AIF in Sydney, noting that he had been previously refused because of bad teeth.
He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Ulysses’ in December 1917. He was sent with other reinforcements first to Egypt, where he spent a week before getting a ship to Taranto (Italy). From there he took a train to Cherbourg (France), the railway journey taking a week. Then he crossed the English Channel to England, where he landed in February 1918. He was sent to a training camp at Sutton Veny. He spent 10 days of his time there in hospital with Influenza.
In July he was sent to France and ‘taken on strength’ by the 2nd Battalion.
He was killed in action on 20 September 1918, and buried in Roisel Communal Cemetery extension, 6¾ miles ENE of Péronne.
Corporal A.G. Breeze (7690) reported:
‘Jarvis was killed by a H.E. shell at Hargicourt 20t Sept. 1918 instantaneously. He had his head blown off while he was standing at the door of his dug out.’
Pte L Henderson (7824) reported:
‘…Jarvis was hit by a shell at Jeancourt – killing him instantly. He was much blown about. If he was buried it would be on the field. He was a mate of mine.’
He was survived by his widow and a son, Duncan.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.