ALEXANDER, Kenneth James
| Service Numbers: | R105667 , R105667 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 October 1969 |
| Last Rank: | Able Seaman |
| Last Unit: | HMAS Sydney (III) |
| Born: | Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, 8 March 1954 |
| Home Town: | Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cook |
| Died: | Western Australia, 30 December 2020, aged 66 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
The Western Australian Garden of Remembrance, Nedlands, Western Australia |
| Memorials: | Western Australia Garden of Remembrance |
Vietnam War Service
| 15 Oct 1969: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Junior Recruit, R105667 , HMAS Leeuwin | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Feb 1971: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Able Seaman, R105667 | |
| 15 Feb 1971: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Assistant Cook, R105667, HMAS Sydney (III) , "Vung Tau Ferry" logistical support to Vietnam Task Force. | |
| 26 Mar 1971: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Able Seaman, R105667 | |
| 13 May 1971: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Able Seaman, R105667 | |
| 1 Nov 1972: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Able Seaman, R105667 |
Help us honour Kenneth James Alexander's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Maurice Kissane
Ken Alexander was born in Kalgoolie in 1954. This Kalgoorlie boy could swim. His ambition was not to work in Kalgoorlie mines, but to go to sea. However he needed parental consent to enlist in the Royal Australian Navy at 15. That was his driving ambition.
Ron Alexander, his father gave consent. Ron was not going to stand in the way of Ken who was dead set at enlisting. Ron may have rationalized that the Vietnam War would be over by the time his son graduated from HMAS Leewin. Ken was enlisted as a 15 year old Junior Recruit.
After basic training he served on HMAS Sydney III which was deployed to Vietnam. It was known as the Vung Tau Ferry. This RAN Aircraft Carrier was used to ferry Army Troops and Task Force Heavy Equipment from Sydney to Vietnam.
Ken was 16 years old when his Vietnam War Service began on 15 Feb 1971. DVA records state he accumulated 82 days of Vietnam War Service on HMAS Sydney. That inclues his last trip which ended on 30 Nov 1972.
Ken stayed in the Royal Australian Navy after Vietnam.
His Defence Force Service Medal for R.A.N. long service was gazetted on 21 March 1985.
Ken died in 2020 and was cremated as per his wish.
His Vietnam Memorial Plaque is in the Western Australian Garden of Remberance.
Lest We Forget.
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