BACKGROUND

Alfred John Atkins was born on the 21^st June 1889 at Taree, son of Samuel & Sara (Robinson) Atkins.  According to mncp.tree.au he was one of 9 children, with 4 sisters & 4 brothers. The 1913 Australian Electoral Roll for the division of Byron, subdivision of Uki, New South Wales recorded Alfred John Atkins, Fruiterer from Uki. The Atkin family are considered pioneers of the area

ATTESTATION

Alfred travelled to Brisbane on the 2^nd February 1916 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as shop keeper. His next of kin was his father, Samuel, of Murwillumbah. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Alfred John Atkins, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

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MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Alfred was 24 years 6 months old. He was 5ft 8 inches tall (1.72m) and weighed 129lbs (59kgs). He had medium complexion, brown eyes and auburn hair. His eyesight was good. He had a scar on his left shin. Alfred was Church of England

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. Alfred was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 10^th May 1916. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private with D company, 41^st Battalion with service number 804

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the recruits had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months

INNOCULATIONS

All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

THE UNIFORM

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO ENGLAND MAY 1916

On the 16^th May 1916 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 18^th May they embarked on the HMAT Demosthenes (A64). Alongside his comrades, Alfred marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP

The unit disembarked at Plymouth on the 20^th July 1916. From the ship they marched into one of the training camps.

During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.

·      Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.

·      Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.

When the recruits entered the camp, they joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.

The time they spent at the camp were among the most important of their military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, they underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.

Life in the camp followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and the men would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.

Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.

Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.

Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, the recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France.

Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life. Carrying rifles, ammunition, packs and equipment, the men marched many miles across the rolling countryside of Salisbury Plain. These marches built stamina and accustomed soldiers to carrying heavy loads over long distances. By the end of his training, the men would have been capable of marching for hours while carrying the equipment required in active service.

If applicable

The approach of winter made conditions increasingly difficult. As autumn gave way to the cold months of November, the winds sweeping across Salisbury Plain became bitter, and training often continued in rain, frost and mud. For Australian soldiers accustomed to warmer climates, the English weather could be an uncomfortable introduction to European conditions. Nevertheless, the harsh weather provided valuable preparation for service on the Western Front.

Beyond the formal training, the also gave the recruits the opportunity to form friendships with fellow Australians who shared anticipation and uncertainty about their future. In the evenings, men wrote letters home, attended educational lectures or spent what little leisure time was available discussing rumours from the front and wondering what lay ahead.

After many months of continuous preparation in England, the men were judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.

FRANCE NOVEMBER 1916

When John proceeded overseas to France from Southampton on 24 November 1916, he was joining the 41st Battalion during one of the most difficult periods of the war. After crossing the English Channel, probably landing at Le Havre, he would have passed through the huge reinforcement system of depots, camps and training areas established behind the British front. Newly arrived reinforcements were given further instruction in trench warfare, gas precautions, grenade throwing, weapons handling and battlefield procedures before being sent forward to join their battalion. During the period between 24 November and 24 December 1916, John was almost certainly moving through these reinforcement camps before eventually joining the 41st Battalion in the field. The battalion at that time was occupying trenches in the muddy Somme sector, enduring winter conditions that were often as dangerous as enemy action. Long periods were spent repairing trenches damaged by rain and shellfire, carrying supplies through knee-deep mud, standing sentry duty and undertaking working parties under cover of darkness.

HOSPITALISED SCABIES DECEMBER 1916

On Christmas Eve 1916 John was admitted to the 9th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from scabies. Although not a serious illness, scabies was extremely uncomfortable and highly contagious. The condition spread easily among soldiers living in crowded dugouts, wearing the same clothing for extended periods and having limited opportunities for bathing. REJOINED HIS UNIT DECEMBER 1916

After treatment and disinfection of his clothing and equipment, he was discharged to duty on 29 December and rejoined the battalion. During the weeks until January 1917 he would have resumed the routine of trench occupation, fatigue duties and military training. Winter on the Western Front was miserable, with freezing temperatures, mud-filled trenches and constant enemy shelling.

ATTACHED TO 2ND TUNNELLING COMPANY JANUARY 1917

On 26 January 1917 John was attached to the 2nd Tunnelling Company. This was an unusual posting for an infantryman. The Australian Tunnelling Companies were engaged in highly specialised engineering work beneath the battlefields of France and Belgium. Their primary role was digging deep underground galleries, constructing dugouts, creating defensive tunnels and maintaining extensive underground systems used by front-line troops. John was probably attached as a labourer rather than as a trained miner. Infantrymen attached to tunnelling companies commonly assisted with moving spoil from excavations, laying narrow-gauge railway tracks, transporting timber supports, carrying engineering stores and helping maintain underground works. The work was physically exhausting and often dangerous, with risks from tunnel collapses, enemy mines and shellfire.

FEBRUARY TO DECEMBER 1917

His attachment ended on 4 February 1917. Between February and December 1917, he appears to have remained with his battalion. This period coincided with some of the most significant operations undertaken by the 41st Battalion. During early 1917 the Germans withdrew to the Hindenburg Line, and the battalion participated in the Allied advance into the abandoned territory. Throughout the year John would have experienced a mixture of training, trench occupation, working parties and active operations. The battalion later fought in the Third Battle of Ypres, including the bitter fighting around Polygon Wood and Broodseinde. Even when not directly involved in attacks, soldiers spent countless hours carrying ammunition, constructing strongpoints, repairing roads and trenches, and enduring artillery bombardments. Casualties from shellfire, gas and exhaustion were constant companions.

THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES KNOWN AS BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, (JULY 31–NOVEMBER 6, 1917),

This battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front. The third and longest battle to take place at the Belgian city of Ypres, Passchendaele was ostensibly an Allied victory, but it was achieved at enormous cost for a piece of ground that would be vacated the following year. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on opposing sides attacked and counterattacked across sodden, porridgelike mud, in an open gray landscape almost empty of buildings or natural cover, all under the relentless harrowing rain of exploding shells, flying shrapnel, and machine-gun fire. Few gains were made. 

The Third Battle of Ypres is remembered for its immense human cost and the resilience of those who fought in it

BATTLE OF POLYGON WOOD 1917 SEPTEMBER 26^TH - OCTOBER 3^RD

Polygon Wood was the second of three battles between 26^th September and 4 October 1917 in which ‘step by step’ or ‘bite and hold’ tactics were used to batter down the formidable German defensive positions. After an opening bombardment the infantry would advance for a prescribed distance behind a ‘creeping’ barrage of shells. This barrage would keep the Germans in their ‘pillboxes’ until British soldiers were almost upon them. The enemy positions would then be captured consolidated and protected from counter-attack by artillery. Artillery would be brought forward and the next ‘bite’ attempted. In this way the British aimed to work their way from their start lines near Ypres to the heights of the ridge ten kilometres away at Passchendaele village. Charles Bean, the Australian Official Historian described the opening barrage on 26 September as the most perfect that ever protected Australian troops and that it rolled ahead of the troops roaring ‘like a Gippsland bushfire’. The battle cost 5,770 Australian casualties

THE BATTLE OF BROODSEINDE OCTOBER 1917

The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of the Third Battle of Ypres. Using bite-and-hold tactics, with objectives limited to what could be held against German counter-attacks, the allied devastated the German defence, prompted a crisis among the German commanders and caused a severe loss of morale in the 4th Army. Preparations were made by the Germans for local withdrawals and planning began for a greater withdrawal, which would entail the abandonment by the Germans of the Belgian coast, one of the strategic aims of the Flanders Offensive.

PARIS LEAVE DECEMBER 1917

On 14 December 1917 John was granted leave to Paris, one of the most sought-after privileges available to Australian soldiers. For two weeks he was able to leave behind the dangers and discomforts of the front. Paris offered clean accommodation, cafes, theatres, restaurants and a glimpse of normal civilian life. For many soldiers it was the first opportunity in years to enjoy peace and comfort. He rejoined his unit on 28 December.

Following his return from leave and continuing into March 1918, John resumed normal battalion duties during a period of mounting tension. The Germans were preparing their great Spring Offensive, although Allied soldiers did not yet know when or where the blow would fall. Training intensified, defensive positions were strengthened and units were frequently moved to sectors where an attack was anticipated.

APPOINTED DRIVER MARCH 1918

On 23 March 1918 John was appointed a driver. This promotion did not necessarily mean he drove motor vehicles. Within the AIF a driver was often responsible for horse-drawn wagons carrying ammunition, rations, engineering stores and other supplies. As a driver he would have been entrusted with valuable transport assets and required greater skill and responsibility than an ordinary infantry private. During this period the German Spring Offensive was in full swing, creating enormous demands upon transport personnel as supplies had to be moved rapidly to threatened sectors.

REVERTED TO DRIVER APRIL 1918

APRIL TO JULY 1918

On 30 April 1918 he reverted to the rank of private. The record does not explain why. Such reversions could occur for many reasons, including transfer of duties, administrative requirements, personal request or disciplinary matters. Whatever the reason, he would have returned to the ordinary duties of a private soldier. Between April and July 1918, he was likely engaged in labouring, carrying parties, trench maintenance, road construction and support work behind the lines as Allied forces stabilised the front after the German offensives.

APPOINTED DRIVER JULY 1918

On 31 July 1918 he was once again appointed a driver. By this stage the Allied armies were preparing for the series of offensives that would eventually end the war. Drivers played an essential role in moving supplies, ammunition, engineering materials and food to advancing troops. The work was often carried out under shellfire and during hours of darkness. From July until December 1918 John would have been heavily involved in sustaining the rapid Allied advances that followed the Battle of Amiens and the Hundred Days Offensive.

WAR ENDED 11^th NOVEMBER 1918

The armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918. Even after the Armistice, enormous quantities of stores and equipment still had to be moved while occupation and administrative duties continued.

LEAVE IN ENGLAND DECEMBER 1918

On 23 December 1918 he was granted leave to England. Like many soldiers, he would have welcomed the opportunity to spend time away from military duties after four years of war. However, the vast task of demobilising millions of soldiers meant that many men continued to perform essential duties while awaiting repatriation.

POSTED TO ADMINISTRATIVE HQ JANUARY 1919

On 7 January 1919 he was posted to Administrative Headquarters and taken on strength of the Australian Army Postal Corps. This represented a complete change in duties. The Postal Corps was responsible for sorting, transporting and distributing the enormous volume of mail moving between Australia, Britain and the forces overseas. Letters and parcels were vital to morale, and the efficient operation of the postal service was considered an essential military function. John's duties probably included sorting mail, handling bags of correspondence, preparing dispatches, maintaining records and assisting with the movement of postal consignments. Although far removed from the trenches, the work was important in helping maintain communication between soldiers and their families.

HEALTH DETERIOATION – INFLUENZA FEBRUARY 1919

After a period of leave commencing on 27 February 1919, John's health deteriorated. On 3 March he was admitted to the Endell Street Military Hospital in London suffering from influenza. The world was then in the grip of the devastating influenza pandemic that followed the war. The disease spread rapidly among civilian and military populations alike, infecting millions and causing widespread deaths. What may initially have appeared to be an ordinary case of influenza soon developed into pneumonia, one of the most feared complications of the illness.

DEATH FROM DISEASE MARCH 1919

Despite medical treatment, John's condition worsened. Breathing would have become increasingly difficult as infection spread through his lungs. Endell Street Military Hospital, staffed largely by pioneering women doctors and nurses, cared for thousands of sick and wounded servicemen, but influenza-related pneumonia often proved impossible to overcome. During the early hours of 19 March 1919, only months after surviving the Great War, John succumbed to the disease. He died at 2.45 a.m. in Endell Street Military Hospital, London, aged 27, far from home and family.

There is a particular sadness in John's story. He survived the hardships of training, the dangers of the Western Front, the misery of winter trenches, attachment to tunnelling operations, and the great campaigns of 1917 and 1918. He lived to see the Armistice and the end of the war, and was performing administrative duties while awaiting his eventual return home. Yet like thousands of other soldiers, he became a victim of the influenza pandemic that swept across the world in the aftermath of the conflict. Having escaped enemy bullets and shells, his life was ultimately claimed by illness only four months after peace had been declared.

REGISTERED

A death for Alfred J. Atkins, aged 27, was registered in the March quarter, 1919 in the district of St. Giles, London, England.

BURIAL

Alfred was buried on 25th March, 1919 in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England – Australian Military Burial Ground - Plot number 183,304. From the burial report of Driver Alfred John Atkins - Coffin was Elm & Brass Fittings. The deceased soldier was accorded a full Military Funeral, Firing Party, Bugler and Pallbearers being in attendance.

The coffin was draped with the Australian Flag, and surmounted by several wreaths sent from No. 2574 Pte McCollum, M. J. 9th B n A.I.F. and other friends. The “Last Post” was sounded at the graveside, and the burial service conducted by Chap. Rev: Gordon H. Hurst, of the A.I.F. London. The grave will be turfed and an oak cross erected by the A.I.F. London. A.I.F. Headquarters, London were represented at the funeral. Names of Relatives or Friends present at Funeral – 2754 Pte McCollum, M. J. 9th Battalion A.I.F. Base Records wrote to Mr S. Atkins, P.O. Murwillumbah, Tweed River, NSW on 22nd March, 1923 stating that the site of his son’s grave in Brookwood Military Cemetery had been officially registered as Plot 4 Row 1 Grave 4.

PARENT’S GRIEF

When his father received word that his son died, he stated” his death is particularly sad by reason of the fact that he could have left for home some time ago, but generously gave way to a number of married men who wanted to leave urgently. His unselfishness has now ended in his death” from the Tweed Daily 3^rd April 1919

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Alfred was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Parish of Murwillumbah First World War Roll of Honour.  

His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Number 133 among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.