CARRUTHERS, Alwyn James
| Service Number: | 5799 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 April 1916, Kiama, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Camberwell, London, England, 16 May 1883 |
| Home Town: | Petersham, Marrickville, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Leipsic Road (Comber Grove) School, Camberwell, London, England |
| Occupation: | Railway employee |
| Died: | Natural causes, Croydon Park, New South Wales, Australia, 6 August 1959, aged 76 years |
| Cemetery: |
Privately Cremated |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5799, Kiama, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 5799, 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 5799, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 19 Jun 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 5799, 20th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit - accidental injury to right ankle |
Help us honour Alwyn James Carruthers's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
The eldest of ten children of Thomas Simmonds (1852-1933) and Sarah Ann Abraham (1862-1935), Alfred James Simmonds (later known as Alwyn James Carruthers) was born in the south London area of Camberwell in 1883.
Known as James or Jim, he was educated at Leipsic Road School in Camberwell - both the name of the road and the school were changed to Comber Grove when German names were removed throughout Britian during the war.
In August 1898 at 15 years of age he joined the Royal Navy and spent the next eleven years in its service. Commencing as Boy 2nd Class, he rose to the rank of Able Seaman. He served in a number of ships, his last being HMS Proserpine as part of the East Indies Station based at Bombay, India. It is from here in 1909 that he appears to have found his way to Australia.
Prior to enlisting at Kiama in April 1916, he changed his name to Alwyn James Carruthers. It is unclear why he changed his name, although he did have an association in Sydney with a Mr and Mrs Carruthers who had unofficially adopted him.
His enlistment came a year after his brother, Z/1394 Rifleman John Simmonds (1895-1915) of the 4th Battalion of The Rifle Brigade, was killed in action during a night attack to retake St Eloi, Ypres on 15 March 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Private Alwyn James Carruthers embarked for overseas in late 1916. His war ended when he accidentally injured his right ankle in October 1917. He was deemed unfit for active service and returned to Australia for discharge.
In November 1921 he married Clarice Ivy Walsh (1896-1980) at St Paul's Church of England, Cleveland Street, Redfern. The couple were to have three sons.
Jim Carruthers died after collapsing at a bus stop in Croydon Park, New South Wales on 6 August 1959.
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