WILSON Alfred Ernest

Alfred Ernest Wilson was born on 13th November 1878 at Burrawang, New South Wales to parents John William and Elizabeth (nee Vidler). He was one of five children born to this couple and also had seven half siblings born prior to the remarriage of his father in 1877. At the age of 35 years he was a married man when he enlisted and stood 5ft 6 inches tall, weighed 162 Lbs with ruddy complexion, blue eyes and sandy hair. He was working as a teamster in Malanda Northern Queensland and his wife lived in Cooroy at the time of his enlistment on 31st December 1914 in Cairns. Following enlistment he was initially unallocated as a member of the Light Horse Regiment from 31st December 1914 until 6th March 1915 when assigned as Driver to 17th Australian Service Corp while in Enoggera camp. He sailed aboard H.M.A.T A11 ‘Ascanius’ from Brisbane on 24th May 1915 to disembark at Alexandria in August that year. The service corp. was stationed at Lidi Bish Camp and when orders for mobilization to Marseilles the unit entrained at Moascar on 17th March for the port of Alexandria. From 20th – 24th March they were at sea and sailed via Malta to arrive at Touloun then Marseilles on 28th March 1916 where troops and horses entrained for the trip to Abbeville. Following Alfred’s arrival in Abbeville he spent a week in isolation camp having had contact with Mumps, once cleared he caught up with his unit at Croix du Bac where they were undertaking repairs and delivery whilst being shelled and enduring gas attacks and war diaries state that the horses were unmanageable during this time. Alfred was promoted to rank of Corporal in February 1917 served with this unit until July when attached to 2nd Salvage Company for 10 days at either Auchy or Poziers where the task was unloading shell cases and organizing engineering material dumps after which he took leave in England. After arriving on 4th August 1917 it was just days later that he was admitted to Bulford Military Hospital where he would undergo treatment for Gonorrhea. On 29th October he was discharged from hospital to the Convalescent Training Depot at Parkhouse. This facility had been formed as an annex to Bulford M.H. to enable military control over the men recently discharged before they were deemed fit to return to their respective units and as war diaries suggest there were about 90 men weekly who were discharged from Bulford M. Hospital. Following final medical clearance on 9th December 1917 Alfred would not return to Europe but would go into camp at Longbridge Deverill before being attached to Australian Army Service Company at Parkhouse for the remainder of his overseas war service. His name appeared on List 194 for return to Australia aboard H.M.A.T ‘Berrima’ which sailed from England on 2nd January 1919 and Alfred disembarked at Melbourne on 17th February 1919 after which Alfred mad his way by coastal steamer to Brisbane. On his enlistment papers Alfred stated that he was married and gave his wife as living at Cooroy, although no Christian name was mentioned. There are a number of Alfred Ernest Wilsons’ in official records but which one is this Alfred. As he stated he was a teamster at Malanda pre war and there is a death recorded on 25th September 1956 at age 78,which is also around the correct age, this Alfred is buried at Tully Cemetery (C.E.N 71 .3) Need confirmation that this is the same Alfred.

National Australia Archive
Ancestry.com.au
Australian War Memorial war diaries