ANDERSON, Alfred Alexander
| Service Numbers: | 3416, 3440 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 41st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia, 5 May 1896 |
| Home Town: | Townsville, Townsville, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England, 5 October 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane 41st Battalion Roll of Honour, Townsville Cenotaph, Townsville Railway Station Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3416, 41st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 3416, 41st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 3416, 41st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 1 Sep 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3440, 41st Infantry Battalion, Mont St Quentin / Peronne, DOW England Diabetes; (secondary) Coma & G.S.W.s to Abdomen - Penetrating. | |
| 5 Oct 1918: | Involvement Private, 3440, 41st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3440 awm_unit: 41st Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-10-05 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 5th October…… Alfred Alexander Anderson was born at Thursday Island, Queensland on 5th May, 1896.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 1st February, 1917 as a 20 year old, single, Carpenter from Townsville, Queensland.
Private Anderson was posted to 11th Depot Battalion on 23rd February, 1917 for recruit training. He was transferred to 10th Reinforcements of 49th Battalion on 9th March, 1917 & had Home Leave from 6th April, 1917 to 17th April, 1917. Private Anderson was transferred on 1st May, 1917 to 25th Reinforcements of 9th Battalion. He was transferred to Field Artillery on 17th May, 1917 as Gunner.
An appeal made by Defence Department owing to the shortage of Infantry recruits so Gunner Anderson volunteered for a transfer from Artillery to Infantry Reinforcements. He was transferred to 14th Reinforcements of 31st Battalion on 8th June, 1917 with the rank of Private. Private Anderson was transferred to 8th Reinforcements of 41st Battalion on 12th June, 1917.
On 14th June, 1917 Private Anderson embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Hororata (A20) on 14th June, 1917 with the 41st Infantry Battalion, 8th Reinforcements & disembarked at Liverpool, England on 26th August, 1917.
[Note: One copy of the Attestation Papers has the Service number of 3440, another copy has Service number of 3416, some forms have both numbers listed but the majority of the forms show the Service number as 3440.]
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
Private Anderson was marched in to 11th Training Battalion at Larkhill, Wiltshire, England on 27th August, 1917 from Australia. He was marched into 9th Training Battalion at Fovant, Wiltshire on 5th November, 1917 from 11th Training Battalion.
On 1st January, 1918 Private Anderson proceeded overseas to France from 9th Training Battalion. He was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Rouelles, France on 2nd January, 1918. Private Anderson was marched out from A.I.B.D. on 4th January, 1918 & was taken on strength of 41st Battalion in the Field on 8th January, 1918.
Private Alfred Alexander Anderson was still with his Unit on 8th July, 1918. (This was usually noted on the Casualty Form – Active Service when no activity had been recorded for a while.)
He reported sick on 22nd July, 1918. He was admitted to 10th Casualty Clearing Station on 22nd July, 1918 then transferred & admitted to 20th Casualty Clearing Station on 1st August, 1918 with Influenza. Private Anderson was transferred & admitted to 10th Australian Stationary Hospital (no date recorded) with Influenza. He was discharged to duty on 9th August, 1918 & rejoined 41st Battalion in the Field on 10th August, 1918.
On 1st September, 1918 Private Alfred Alexander Anderson was wounded in action. He was admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance on 1st September, 1918 with shrapnel wound/s to Abdomen then transferred & admitted to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station the same day. Private Anderson was admitted to 12th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 7th September, 1918. He was invalided to England on 9th September, 1918 on Hospital Ship Grantully Castle.
He was admitted to The Head Quarters War Hospital, Exeter, England on 10th September, 1918 with Bomb wound to abdomen – severe. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Gastric fistula – rapidly healing.” He was transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield on 20th September, 1918 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) abdomen - penetrating.
A Medical Board found on 1st October, 1918 that Private Alfred Alexander Anderson was unfit for General Service & unfit for Home Service for 6 months. He was to be transferred to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.
Private Alfred Alexander Anderson died at 3.20 pm on 5th October, 1918 at 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England from (primary) Diabetes; (secondary) Coma & G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Abdomen - Penetrating.
He was buried in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Harefield, Middlesex, England where 112 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/-a---c.html
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