Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alfred Power served with the 14th Battalion as a Private (369) and was wounded at the Landing on Anzac. He had a wound to the hand and lost several fingers. He was returned to Australia in July 1915. He reenlisted in late 1916 and served as Sergeant (467) with the 5th Machine Gun Battalion. He suffered a severe gunshot wound to his left thigh in 1918, had his leg amputated at the thigh and was consequently sent home and discharged on medical grounds on Armistice Day November 1918, 4 years to the day after his brother Charles died at sea on the Ascanius.

Brothers: 821 Pte Charles William Power, 11th Bn, died at sea, 11 November 1914. Gordon Power (Depot) died of pneumonia 22 May 1915, 1515 Pte Walter James Power, 45th Bn, returned to Australia, 15 September 1918, family reasons. 

Argus 13 August 1915. GUNNER WELCOMED HOME.

BIRCHIP, Monday-About 200 people thronged the railway station this evening to welcome home Gunner Alfred Power, who was wounded at Gallipoli and invalided home. The reception was hearty Gunner Power, whilst operating a machine gun, was shot by an enemy sniper, and has lost two fingers of his left hand.

Birchip Advertiser 1 May 1918.

"General regret was expressed when the news reached Birchip that Sergeant Alf Power had again been wounded at the front, and that as a result of his wounds he had one of his legs amputated. It will be remembered that Sergeant Power was wounded at Gallipoli, where he had two fingers amputated, but on recovering from his wounds he went to the front again, with the result that he is now minus a leg, and consequently unfit to tackle the Huns again. Power, who is. one of the pluckiest of Australians, has many friends in Birchip."

While he was in hospital in England after his leg was amputated Alfred made a request in writing for his only surviving brother, Walter, to be sent home. After initially being knocked back it was finally granted. The grounds being the deaths of 2 of his brothers, his own incapacitation, his father being hospitalised and an invalid with Brights Disease, and his mother and 4 young sisters being wholly dependent now on the ability of the surviving brothers to work their farms.