Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alfred Ernest Weymouth, known as Alf, was born on 20th May 1879 at Launceston Tasmania.  He was 6th of 9th children born to his parents Alfred and Martha Weymouth.  He was the eldest of 2 sons with 5 older sisters and 2 younger sisters.  After completing his education he became a draper’s assistant and he served 3 years with the Australian Medical Corps (AMC).

When WW1 broke out Alf was one of the first to enlist on 28th August 1914 at Pontville TAS aged 35.  His service number was 242, his rank Private and he was assigned to the 3rd Field Ambulance (3FA), C Section.  He’s described as being 5ft 9ins tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and black hair.  He completed his initial training at Brighton Camp TAS then embarked from Hobart on 20.10.1914 on HMAT Katuna and sailed with the 1st Australian Convoy from Albany WA on 1.11.1914.  He disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt, on 3rd December 1914 and proceeded to Mena Camp at Cairo where he met up with the rest of C Section, including the famous John (Jack) Simpson.

The Unit moved to the Kasr-el-nil Barracks in Cairo in late February 1915 and embarked from Alexandria on 3rd March on HMT Malda bound for the Dardanelles.  The ship anchored in Mudros Bay off Lemnos Island on 6th March and remained there for a month.  In early April the Unit transhipped from HMT Malda to HMAT Suffolk and then later on to HMAT Devanha.  On 24th April 1915, in preparation for the landings at Gallipoli, the Unit transhipped from HMAT Devanha to the Destroyer HMS Ribble.  The Commanding Officer of C Section of 3FA was Captain Douglas McWhae and he lead C Section ashore at Gallipoli in the 2nd tow at 5am on 25th April 1915 under heavy fire. 

McWhae recalled: “Several men were wounded on the destroyer and a young naval officer shot dead through the head (while waving the men off with a ‘Good Luck’) and Symonds of B Section shot through the chest.  I saw one infantryman shot, fall into the water and drown with heavy pack despite the efforts of one of the sailors to save him.  The rowboats returned to the destroyer and we entered them under heavy fire.  Then we rowed to shore under a frightful fire….At first the beach was absolutely swept with machine-gun and rifle fire, so that there was no possibility of going near the boats (of the first tows) or to help the wounded lying on the beach.  Jack’s boat grounded in deep water, about 300 metres north of Ari Burnu Point, almost opposite the Sphinx.  He was the second man out of his boat.  The first and third men out, on either side of him, were killed instantly.  Soon after dawn the rifle fire stopped and we were able to look after the wounded - now shrapnel fire only.  There were great numbers of wounded whom it took all the morning to attend to and get away…The Red-Cross flag was put up after a time.  The three sections were going for all they were worth...they had iodine and field dressings; all splints were improvised using rifles and bushes. They were terrible wounds to deal with.”

A primitive collecting post was established using the cover of the overgrown vegetation beyond the beach.  Sometime around 6am a Major Jackson, of the 7th Battalion, arrived at the collecting post requesting urgent assistance for his men about 1,200 metres north of the Sphinx and at the extreme left of the landing area.  McWhae and C Section set off at once, skirting the chest-high thorny bushes inland which they used for cover.  When they arrived at their destination - a small hillock with a fisherman’s hut at its base, it was a gruesome scene which met their eyes.  Between 9 and 10 am the Turks began a massive counter-attack.  By midday they were in possession of all the high ground around Baby 700 and the collecting post at Fisherman’s Hut (where there “were over a hundred wounded” according to McWhae), was under serious threat.  By the end of first day the unit casualties were 2 killed 18 wounded and 4 missing. 

On 26th April 1915 Alf’s unit worked all day at the 3rd Brigade Headquarters.  The following day they evacuated the collecting posts for the 9th and 10th Battalions under heavy shrapnel fire.  Captain McWhae was wounded in the forehead and eye by shrapnel, and was evacuated to the transport ship Galeka on 28th, where surgeon, Major Harry Butler removed his eye.  Captain Lyle Buchanan took over C Bearer Section and he warned Jack Simpson, officially, of “the inevitable result of wounding or worse” if he chose to continue with his donkey trips.  Jack chose to continue.  Buchanan described the situation in Monash Valley thus: “Other people using the valley had a dozen waist-high shelter spots...(Simpson) had really only one spot on the way which sheltered him and his donkey.”  Buchanan added that “he had earned (the Victoria Cross) fifty times.”  Simpson was killed on19th May 1915 while escorting a wounded soldier to the beach.            

On 28.8.15 Alf was admitted to the 3rd FA hospital with diarrhoea and re-joined his Unit on 9.9.1915.  He was admitted again 2 days later and discharged 3 days later.  In a letter that Alf wrote on 27th January 1916 he made the following comments: “Our tent division and A section tent division were sent to the beach at Anzac Cove about the end of September, and we continued to live and work there right up to the time of the evacuation.”…” We were among the first to land and among the last to leave. We, the clearing hospital and a few other details, are the only ones who did not get relieved.”

Alf was evacuated with the troops from Gallipoli on 23rd December on HMT Caledonia and disembarked at Alexandria on 27th December 1915.  From Alf’s letter: “On December 23 Christmas puddings and billycans were issued to us. The excitement was intense as the 12 or 14 men in each tent, seated around their respective cans, produced the articles one by one. As each article was produced comments from all in the tent were forthcoming, and were mingled with many ejaculations of appreciation of the kind thoughtfulness of the friends in the homeland. It was truly wonderful what those cans were made to hold.”

Alf proceeded to Tel-el-Kebir Camp on 1.1.1916 then was transferred to the 13th Field Ambulance (13FA) on 27.2.1916 and promoted to Lance Corporal on 6.3.1916.  The Unit moved to Serapeum Camp on 2.4.1916 and Alf was detached for temporary duty to form a Divisional Collecting Station.  The 13FA embarked from Alexandria for France on HMT Oriana on 6th June 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles on 13th June 1916.  Alf was detached for duty to the 2nd Field Ambulance in mid-July and re-joined the 13FA in early August 1916.  He was appointed Acting Corporal in early September and then Temporary Corporal in early October.  He was recommended for a Mention in Despatches with the following: “For general good work during the operations near Mouquet Farm between 28th August 1916 to 2nd September 1916.”  However, this was not awarded to him. 

Alf was promoted to Corporal on 29.10.1916 and then to Sergeant on 4.12.1916.  He was awarded the Military Medal on 1.2.1917 with the following recommendation: “For gallantry and devotion to duty during the operations in the Ypres Sector on 21st October 1917.  This NCO (whilst the enemy was heavily shelling with 9” high velocity shells the area around Bridge 10 at Ypres from 9.30am to 1.15pm and from 3.15pm until 6pm) remained on duty in the Advanced Dressing Station within 30 yards of Bridge 10, attending to the very many casualties which resulted from bombardment, until all casualties had received attention and had been evacuated.  During this time one of the team of surgical dressers was killed instantly within 15 yards of where he was at work.  Shells made direct hits within 50 yards of where he worked with practically no protection.  The example which he set of cheerfulness and devotion to duty under the most trying circumstances was a great stimulus to both personnel and casualties alike, and it was largely due to his efforts that the surgical work was carried out with the greatest despatch and the casualties got away to a place of safety in the shortest possible time.”

Alf was promoted to Staff Sergeant on 18.12.1917 and took leave to the UK on the same day then re-joined his Unit in France in early January 1918.  He was granted Special 1914 Leave in early October 1918 and embarked from Le Havre, France, on 12.10.1918.  He embarked from the UK on 23.10.1918 for return to Australia on HMAT Port Lyttleton.  He disembarked at Melbourne on Christmas Day 1918 then proceeded to Tasmania.  He was discharged on 25.2.1919. 

In 1919 he commenced employment as a public servant and was appointed as State Industrial Inspector from 33 applicants, of which 23 of them were returned soldiers.  He was also appointed as Chief Inspector of Factories and served as Charitable Grants Officer. 

On 23rd October 1942 in Hobart TAS, Alf attended the 18th Reunion of the AIF Originals…the Tasmanian Quota of the 1st Australian Division. 

Alf passed away on 5th July 1973 at Newtown TAS aged 94.  He requested in his Will that he be cremated and his ashes scattered. 

He is commemorated on the Launceston Pilgrim Uniting Church, Civic Centre Honour Rolls and on the Chalmers Presbyterian Church Honour Roll which is now located in Scots Uniting Church, 29 Bathurst Street Hobart TAS. 

Alfred Ernest Weymouth was awarded for service in WW1 the Military Medal, 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Anzac Commemorative Medallion.   

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 26th November 2022.