Alfred Martin Tilly

Personal Information
Date of Birth	22 Apr 1896
Place of Birth	Leederville, Western Australia
Death	28 Aug 1976, aged 80
Place of Death	Nedlands, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 9 months
Description	5' 6¼" (1.68m) tall; weight 145 lbs (65.8 kg); fresh complexion, grey eyes, and fair hair
Occupation	Veterinary student
Religion	Church of England
Address	'Coonalbyn', Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Arthur Lindsay Tilly
Military Information
Reg Number	935A
Date of Enlistment	17 Jan 1916
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, Headquarters / 11th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	6 Jun 1916 - 26 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A29 Suevic
Date of Return	1 Jun 1919 - 8 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Somali
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

An original member of the 44th Battalion, he was initially posted to B Company on 28 Jan 1916, but was later (16 Apr 1916) reallocated as a Driver in Battalion Headquarters.

During the journey to England via Durban, Cape Town and St Vincent in the Cape Verde Islands, he fell afoul of military law, and was charged with 'Breaking Ship', and AWOL.

As part of his training at Larkhill camp in England before moving to France, he attended a farrier's course at Romsey. On 24 Oct 1916, he was admitted to Wareham Isolation Hospital, and was discharged to No 4 Command Depot on 20 Jan 1917. His records do not give the reason why he required quarantine. On 23 Mar 1917 he was transferred to the 70th Battalion at Tidworth, and in Apr 1917 he was sent to a course on Cold Shoeing (of horses), run by the School of Farriery at Windmill Hill, Romsey. He qualified as a Shoeing Smith. He then spent some time with the Overseas Training Brigade and the 11th Training Battalion before proceeding to France from Southampton on 9 Oct 1917.

In Belgium he joined the 44th Battalion on 23 Oct 1917 at St Pierre where they are billeted for rest and reorganisation after coming out of the line where they had suffered 377 casualties, including 85 who were either killed or died from their wounds. On 7 Jun 1918 he relinquished his rank (Lance Corporal) at his own request, asking to be transferred back to B Company from the Transport Section.

He again suffered ill health, and was treated by the 10th Australian Field Ambulance and the 47th Casualty Clearing Station where he remained from 26 Jun 1918 until he returned to the battalion on 13 Jul 1918.

He was again appointed Lance Corporal on 20 Oct 1918, and was placed on the unattached list on 7 Feb 1919 to allow him to spend 4 months from 18 Feb to 18 Jun 1919 at the Barlock Typewriter Company in Southwark, London to learn about the manufacture of typewriters. However, after 2 months, this arrangement was cancelled and he moved to Codford where he was granted some leave before returning to Australia.

Alfred also served in WW2, this time as a Captain in Military Intelligence (WX36350) from 20 Nov 1939 to 5 Nov 1945 before in 1951 seeking to enlist in a special cadetship with the Navy.

Post War

Married Winifred Elsie Bremner in 1924.

Electoral Roll entries - 1921 Borden, farmer; 1922 - 1928 "Coonalbyn", Salt River Mail, Gnowangerup, agriculturist; 1931 in Aberdeen street, Katanning, salesman; 1936 - 1943 at 32 Irvine street, Peppermint Grove, salesman; 1949 at 36 View street, Cottesloe, inspector; 1963 alone at 217 Marmion street, Cottesloe, retired; 1972 8/9 Overton Gardens Cottesloe. [Winifred Elsie at Flat 1, 74 Thomas street from 1963 - 1977; and at 2 Albert street Mosman Park in 1980 ] Winifred died in Nedlands on 7 Mar 1991 aged 91. Children were Linsay Alfred(1927 - 31 May 2014) b. Katanning; Valmai M (b.1929); and Winifred G (b. 1932)