Alfred Haddy Pearse

Alfred Haddy Pearse

Personal Information
Date of Birth	29 Nov 1898
Place of Birth	Broken Hill, New South Wales
Death	11 Sep 1959, aged 61
Place of Death	Mt Barker, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 3 months
Description	5'10" (1.78m) tall ; 127lbs 57.606 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; dark hair ; Scar on left forearm
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Methodist
Address	Wimbledon Road East Cannington
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Alfred Henry Pearse
Military Information
Reg Number	38173
Date of Enlistment	28 Mar 1917
Rank	Gunner
Unit/Formation	Field Artillery, 31st Reinforcement posed to 11th FAB, 37th Battery
Date of Embarkation	9 Nov 1917 ‒ 12 Dec 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A15 Port Sydney Melbourne to Suez
Date of Embarkation	18 Dec 1917 ‒ 5 Jan 1918
Ship Embarked On	HMT Karoa Alexandria to Taranto to Southampton
Date of Return	18 Dec 1918 ‒ 30 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A60 Aeneas Liverpool to Albany
Fate	WIA 24 Apr 1918 Henencourt, France Returned to Australia (Medical)
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Had been a member of the CMF (militia) for 12 months prior to enlistment.

War Service

Alfred entered Blackboy Hill camp on 28 Mar 1917, and on 16 Apr 1917 he was allocated to artillery, and therefore sent on 15 Jul 1917 to Maribyrnong camp in Victoria for specialist training. On 22 Aug 1917 he was transferred to the 31st reinforcement draft, travelling with them to England with them. HMAT A15 Port Sydney took them to Suez where they disembarked on 12 Dec 1917, from where they travelled to Alexandria to board the HMT Karoa (B8012) on 18 Dec 1917 for Taranto in Italy, disembarking there on 22 Dec 1917. From there they travelled to Southampton (ship not named) where they disembarked on 5 Jan 1918.

On arrival in England he was sent to the Artillery Training Base at Heytesbury. On 11 Feb 1918 Alfred was absent from the early morning stables parade. Awarded 2 days confined to barracks, this was extended as on 13 Mar 1918 he proceeded overseas to France via Southampton. Taken on strength by the 11th Field Artillery Brigade on 19 Mar 1918, he was one of 26 reinforcement who arrived that day. He was posted to the 43rd Battery. Soon after arriving, on 24 Apr 1918 he was Wounded in action (gassed) when the enemy carried out a very heavy attack including gas on positions that held the 37th Battery near Henencourt west of Albert.

Seen by the 6th Australian Field Ambulance that day, he was sent to the 6th General Hospital in Rouen on 26 Apr 1918, before being transferred to the 2nd Convalescent Depot on 1 May 1918. The next day he was sent to the 1st Convalescent Depot until 20 Jun 1918 when he was discharged to duty and returned to his unit on 28 Jun 1918 via the Australian General base Depot in Le Havre.

Back with his unit, on 16 Aug 1918 he was charged with being absent from 9:00am until 11:45am. Awarded 3 days Field Punishment No. 2. On 5 Oct 1918 Alfred reported to the 7th Australian Field Ambulance suffering with colic. Passed on the same day to the 12th Casualty Clearing Station, he was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital in Boulogne on 6 Oct 1918. On 23 Oct 1918 he was transferred to England with intestinal colic and debility. aboard HMHS St David.

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Emergency Hospital at Ilford where he received treatment from 23 Oct 1918 until he was discharged to furlough on 18 Nov 1918. At the end of his leave he reported to No. 4 Command Depot in Hurdcott to be processed for return to Australia. On the return voyage he was admitted to the ship's hospital from 26 - 31 Dec 1918 with scabies.

Back in Australia he was admitted to the 8th Australian General Hospital in Fremantle from 31 Jan 1919 until 16 May 1919 suffering with anaemic debility, rapid irregular heart beat. While there he managed one more unauthorised absence - from 10:30 am 5 May 1919 till 11:00pm 6 May 1919, for which he was admonished. Discharged by the 5th Military District on 23 May 1919.

Post War

In 1930 Alfred married Alice Mary Dodge in Perth. Alice died on 15 Jul 1975, aged 67.

Electoral Roll entries: 1925 - 1931 Kenwick, electrician trainee; 1936 Stuart street, Carnarvon, machinery expert; 1937 - 1958 Lowood road Mt Barker, garage manager;

Notes

Parental permission to serve overseas before he turned 19 was conditional on him serving with Artillery.