ALCOCK Alfred John

Alfred enlisted in Murwillumbah, NSW on 7th November 1914 at the age of 24 years and six months.
His Mother was listed as next of kin and she lived in Northampton, England the town where Alfred had been born to parents Alfred John and Charlotte Sarah (nee Sharman).
His war record states he was farmer and a single man who stood 5ft 7inches tall and weighed 136 lbs. The attestation form states he had steel blue eyes and gingery yellow hair and very fair complexion. He enlisted as a private and was promoted to rank of Corporal on 26th April 1915.
His field of war was in Gallipoli where the first entry in his war service document shows 9th August 1915 when he received a gun shot wound to his arm, he was admitted to hospital.
In the weeks following he was evacuated firstly to hospital in Malta and then to 3rd Western Hospital in Cardiff, Wales. Alfred was listed as dangerously ill as the exposive bullet had severed artery ligaments in his arm his injuries so severe that he was deemed no longer fit to serve when assessed by the surgeon general in March 1916.
On 24th March 1916 he paid for his own passage home aboard S.S 'Osterley' and was discharged from the A.I.F in Brisbane on 31st May 1916.
A letter requesting his "Anzac badge & Medallion" dated 10th April 1967 shows he was living at 7 McLennan Street, Woody Point. He had been granted a war pension from 1st June 1916 and documents show he was married to Annie at that time.

Alfred joined the 15th Battalion, he was originally from Northampton, England, he enlisted in November 1914 and was present at the landings on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. He was promoted to corporal the following day but was wounded in the arm on 7 August 1915. After periods in hospital in Malta and England he returned to Australia in March 1916. Alcock remained in Beerburrum until 1921 farming Lot 460

Alfred was one of the first nine returned soldiers to be granted land at Beerburrum Soldier Settlement = Portion 460.

The Beerburrum Story by Russell Hopkins, p25.
Story and related links added by Admin - RD