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Alfred was the only son born to Gustav and Lillian Domaschenz, being born on the 28th October, 1904. He had two sisters, Vera and Maud, with the family living in Yorketown, predominantly a farming community on the southern tip of the Yorke Peninsula of SA. Alfred (Alf) was the third generation of the Domaschenz family to live at Yorketown. His grandmother, born in Germany in 1832 migrating to South Australia in 1865 with her first husband, who died on the voyage out. She remarried Christian Domaschenz who was also from Germany and had arrived in 1835. Their new family headed to Yorketown where they settled on one of the first surveyed blocks of land. Gustav was one of their four Domaschenz children who continued to live at Yorketown and Alfred one of 26 grandchildren.
All the children attended the local school where a broad range of subjects, including woodwork were taught and competition actively encouraged. The headmaster proclaiming ‘The school may be regarded as a community, in which the interests of each individual must at some times be subservient to the benefits of the majority. Individual teaching is not possible; indeed it possesses some disadvantages, notably the lack of the competitive spirit so needful for progress. The competitive spirit is encouraged by the awarding of shields to the top grades in the chief subjects, i.e, in arithmetic, spelling and mental.’ Fortunately, Alfred was a capable student. Aged 14 he was named in the local Pioneer newspaper with a group of fellow Yorketown children as being able to ‘enter a District High School this month. If parents desire their children to attend the Adelaide High School they should secure the necessary forms from the School Teacher. Parents should understand that they are not obliged to fill in the forms, but it will be just as well for the child to have it ready that he may be able to gain admission to the High School if they decide to send him.’ In those times, most children aimed to attain their Qualifying Certificate (QC) before heading into the workforce.
Alf was a hard worker, who on one occasion in March ’23 was extremely fortunate to escape serious injury. He was carting water from an underground tank, having backed his horse and spring dray close to the lip of the tank. The Pioneer reported that ‘There was an iron tank on the dray and Alf. was just about to commence filling it when the horse suddenly backed and the jolt threw him into the underground tank. It was 11 feet deep with about three feet of water, Mr. Domaschenz just managed to gain his feet and rush to the side of the tank when the horse, cart, and iron tank came tumbling in after him. He does not know how he got out but he remembers his last footing was on the horse's head. The horse, cart, and tank were eventually brought to the surface again.’
In contrast, a more sedate two weeks fishing expedition for a group of Adelaide men at Minlacowie Bay was organised by Alf as the ‘guide, philosopher, and friend.’ He was described by the group as ‘the life and soul of the party, and had everybody out at daybreak.'
Alfred was also a talented footballer in the Southern Yorke competition despite sustaining a leg injury in the match against Stansbury in ’25, reported as ‘He now seeks propulsion by the aid of a stick.’
With the outbreak of WWII, Alfred enlisted on the 5th July, 1940 aged 35. The community were proud of the young men who had responded to the call-up, with the local newspaper, the Pioneer naming Alf in their publication of July ’40: ‘Alf. Domaschenz, Bill Millar and Arthur MacFarlane have enlisted for service overseas.’ The very active soldier’s Welfare Committee formed at a similar time to ‘pack, despatch and generally supervise parcels for men who have gone abroad on active service. The Chairman, Mr. S. G. Goldsworthy, addressed the meeting, and stated that the Committee desired that a suitable parcel should be sent to every man who had enlisted from the district’ according to the local Pioneer. The local paper also noted the departure of their enlistees on the Bastins Bus Service with Lance Corporal A Domaschenz and Pte. R Johnson being the first to depart at the start of the week and the two Schulz brothers, Clem and Colin, on the following Thursday.
Once in Adelaide, Alf was allocated the number SX7836 and, with the Schulz brothers Clem (SX7732) and Colin (SX7590) being assigned to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion.
The young men spent their initial days in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds before they headed to Woodside for their preliminary training. Pre-embarkation leave gave then time to return to Yorketown where they were farewelled by the Soldiers' Welfare Committee to Lance Corporal Alf. Domaschenz and Ptes. Colin and Clem Schultz in the Diggers' Club at Yorketown. There was a splendid gathering, and the door takings amounting to over 10/-. They were each presented with a wallet. Dancing and a typical country supper followed.
Returning to the 2/48th the contingent then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 19th December 1940. There the recruits completing a few months training in Cyrenaica. From there, the Yorketown trio were soon on their way to serve in Tobruk, Syria and Egypt. By the start of April 1941, the 2/48th were in Tobruk where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to new enlistees. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk.
The Pioneer shared letters from many of the servicemen, including one from Tom ‘Ripper’ King SX7615, also from the 2/48th Battalion. He wrote in part ‘We are in Palestine, and I have met some Yorketown boys here, including Alf. Domaschenz, Schulz brothers, Keith Bartram, and Tom Daly — they are all very well. You can imagine the difference between this country and our own in seeing a single-furrow plow being drawn by a camel or a donkey, when we have been used to tractors and big teams of horses. Kindly remember me to friends at Yorketown.’
Alf also wrote back home as often as possible, with his news also being shared through the local paper, first saying he was safe and well. In June ’41 he wrote "It is a month since I last wrote and what a time we have had during that month. Never again do I want to face such a month as this one. I lost my truck through bombing and machine-gun fire, and was then nearly trapped, which would mean being made a prisoner - which I never hope to be. Well, I took to the mountains on foot, and walked over 100 miles. The only food had was some "bully." Eventually I got to the coast, and was picked up by a Greek fishing boat, and landed on an island. Today I have only what I stand up in, not even an overcoat or a pair of socks . . . I wonder where poor old Jum [Jum Mills] is."
In another letter he shared: "At last I am out of the strife, after a long and hard struggle. We were well in action in Crete. Old Jerry had planes there as thick as flies, and did he bomb and machine-gun us! Day after day we were subjected to his strafe - days which will be a continual nightmare. I was lucky, as I only got hit with shrapnel in the finger, and with a lump of rock in the knee, which were alright after a day or so. You can say what you like about the Aussies - but as fighters they're on their own. Jum is here safe and well, but badly shaken, the same as the rest of us." He concludes his letter with the following: "It is a pity that the lads in Aussie, who are able to fight, don't come and give us a hand, as we have got a big job, and the more help we can get the lighter the burden will be for all of us. It is wonderful how the boys stick it, but it tells on one after a while, and one must come out to rest." His last words were to become prophetic.
Alf survived the horrendous fighting of the Middle East, returning to Australia to then prepare to face the new threat in New Guinea. In his book ‘Derrick VC In His Own Words’ Mark Johnston explains an entry made by Derrick on 11th November 1943 on Sattelberg Road in New Guinea where the group encircled two huts containing 20 Japanese soldiers. ‘From dugouts 12 yards down slope 5 enemy emerged apparently with intentions of fleeing, myself with rifle, Pte Peter Martin Bren Gun, Cpl Fennel & Pte McGill Owen guns and L/Cpl Wall, Pte Hockey, Pte Domaschenz rifle opened fire on them killing 4 wounding `1 who made off screaming.’
A physically injured Alf returned to South Australia, with he and his wife living in the People’s Palace in Pirie Street, a hostel run by the Salvation Army. This providing low-cost temporary accommodation for many people, and enabled Alf to obtain attention to the injuries sustained during his years fighting. He had written in an early letter that the fighting ‘‘tells on one after a while” and it seems he had seen too much in his seven years of conflict. In an incredibly depressing announcement, Alfred was reported as leaving their home during the evening and not returning, resulting in him being reported as missing the following day. Distressingly, his body was found in the River Torrens, near the Frome Road bridge. He was 42 years old.
For his family, having seen Albert return from such a war, they were heartbroken at his death. Mark Johnston in ‘Derrick VC In His Own Words’ accurately explains that Alfred’s death ‘was counted as an official war death.’ It was a huge tragedy for one who had physically survived the Middle East and then New Guinea.
Alfred was buried at Centennial Park Gen. Plot C. Path 2. Grave 120. The poignant inscription reads ‘Dearly loved and sadly missed by loving parents and sisters.’
Advertiser Thursday 27 February 1947, DOMASCHENZ. — On February 24, Alfred Theodor Domaschenz (late 2nd-48th Batt., A.I.F.), dearly beloved only son of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Domaschenz, of Yorketown, and loving brother of Vera and Maude. Aged 42 years.
Advertiser Tuesday 24 February 1948, DOMASCHENZ. —Just a memory fond and true; a year has passed. dear Alf, we still think of you. — Always remembered by father, mother, Maud, Vera, and brother-in-law Lenny.

Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.