ANDERSON, John Alfred
| Service Number: | 2880 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 February 1916, Enlisted in Adelaide, aged 39 years and 7 months |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, August 1876 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | 8 June 1924, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia Section: LO, Road: 6S, Site No: 3 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2880, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Enlisted in Adelaide, aged 39 years and 7 months | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 2880, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 2880, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| 19 Sep 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 1st Pioneer Battalion | |
| 14 Oct 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2880, 1st Pioneer Battalion, Headed overseas to France with 1st Pioneer Battalion, where he rejoined the 32nd Battalion in the field, on the 26th of September. | |
| 13 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2880, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Termination of period of enlistment. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide High School
John Alfred Anderson was born in Melbourne Victoria, in 1876.
Prior to enlistment in the army, Anderson worked as a labourer. He signed up to join the war in Adelaide, on the 28th of February 1916, and was assigned to the 6th Reinforcement of the 32nd Battalion. According to the Attestation papers, Anderson was aged 39 years and 7 months at the time of enlistment and was described to be 5’8” with brown hair and hazel eyes.
On the 11th of April 1916, Anderson embarked on the HMAT Aeneas with his battalion and left Adelaide. He served in Egypt on the Western Front. He was admitted to the Anzac Corps Rest Station on the 8th December 1916 with a septic right toe. He was transferred to the 36th Casualty Clearing Station, two days after Christmas on the 27th December 1916. He was again transferred to the 3rd Stationary Hospital, Rouen on the 29th December 1916, before being transferred to England, and admitted to the County of London War Hospital, Napsbury, 1st January 1917. He was then transferred to 1st Pioneer Battalion, 19 September 1917, and proceeded overseas with them to France, on 14th October 1917; where he re-joined the 32nd Battalion, in the field, on the 26th September 1917.
After a few months in France, Anderson was admitted to the 5th Division Rest Station, on the 23rd December 1917 with gastro-enteritis. He later re-joined his battalion, in the field, on the 31st December 1917.
Anderson was again admitted to hospital, this time the 14th Australian Field Ambulance on the 13th May 1918 with a scalded left foot and transferred on the same day to the 6th Casualty Clearing Station. He was transferred, to 7th Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, on the 27th May 1918, before going to England, on the 28th May 1918, and admitted on the same day to Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington. He was transferred once more, to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, in Dartford, on the 3rd June 1918. Anderson was admitted to Group Clearing Hospital, on the 8th June 1918 before he was discharged, and marched in to No 3 Command Depot, 22nd June 1918.
He transferred to the Machine Gun Details, in Longbridge, Deverill, 20th September 1918. Then Anderson proceeded overseas to France, on the 28th November 1918. He was taken on strength with the 4th Machine Gun Battalion, 5th December 1918, where he marched out to England, 8 April 1919.
He was given leave on the 11th of May 1919, before he disembarked in Adelaide on the 29th of June 1919. He was discharged from service on the 13th of August 1919. At the end of the war, Anderson was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Anderson died on the 8th of June in 1924, at the age of 47. He is buried at the AIF Cemetery.
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