TOWNER, Alfred George
| Service Numbers: | 662, 11, 231 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia, 1878 |
| Home Town: | South Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cook, Butcher |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 12 June 1961, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 662, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 519. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 11, Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 662 | |
| 18 May 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 11, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 475 notes 4th QIB embarked 18 May 1900 aboard Manchester Port arriving Beira 14 Jun 1900. | |
| 20 Jul 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 11, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 4th QIB, Bk 5 p. 10, notes invalided returned to Australia aboard Tagus and discharged in Brisbane 20 Jul 1901. | |
| 20 Aug 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 662, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 & 519 notes part of the 1st Draft of the 6th QIB embarked 20 Aug 1901 from Sydney aboard Britannic arriving Cape Town 22 Sep 1901. | |
| 14 Aug 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 662, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 98, notes returned to Australia aboard Norfolk arriving Brisbane 7 Aug 1902, discharged 14 Aug 1902. |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Dec 1914: | Involvement 231, 5th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Dec 1914: | Embarked 231, 5th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Persic, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Alfred George Towner served twice in the South African (Boer) War, first as a Private S.N. 11 in the Queensland Imperial Bushmen and second as a Private S.N. 662 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (source AWM Boer War Nominal Rolls, Murray p. 479 & 519- see note at bottom of page).
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Alfred George Towner served twice in the South African (Boer) War and again in WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 11, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer war. Second service was as a Private S.N. 662, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft), Boer war. Third service was as a Private rising to Sergeant-Cook S.N. 231, 5th Light Horse Regiment AIF, WW1.
When he joined the 4th QIB in 1900 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 19 May 1900, he noted his N.O.K. as his mother, G.P.O., Sydney. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 4th QIB, Bk 5 p. 10, his address was given as c/- Mrs. Cameron, Crown St, South Brisbane. He was invalided from service and discharged in Brisbane on 20 Jul 1901.
Almost immediately he volunteered fo the First Draft of the 6th QIB and embarked again for South Africa in Aug 1901. The members of the draft mainly consisted of men who had served in previous contingents in South Africa and were assembled as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents already in South Africa. Men in the draft were not recorded in the original nominal roll for the 6th QIB, but he was recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks of the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 98.
The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 662, Private Alf. G. Turner, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 98, notes he returned to Brisbane and was discharged 14 Aug 1902.
He enlisted again in Brisbane in 1914 for WW1 and his Attestation Paper, dated 20 Oct 1914, notes that; he was born at Waterloo, Sydney and was 34 years 10 months of age; he was single and a cook and butcher; his N.O.K. was (his young daughter) Georgina Mabel Towner c/- Mrs. Telford, Exhibition St, Bowen Hills; and he had previously served with the 4th QIB and 5th Qld contingent in the Boer war. It appears prior to enlisting in 1914 he had a daughter in 1908 out of wedlock.
Alfred George Towner was born in 1878 at Waterloo, Sydney, NSW, a son to George Towner and Jane Towner. He married Minnie Mildred O'Malley on 1 Mar 1920 in Queensland and they would later relocate to Sydney and they had no children.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 480 & 519; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 4th QIB, Bk 5 p. 10, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 98; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).
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