ALDER, Arthur Hatton
| Service Number: | 371 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 4th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Kilmore, Victoria, 14 May 1889 |
| Home Town: | Echuca, Campaspe, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Draper |
| Died: | Oakleigh, Victoria, 20 August 1951, aged 62 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne |
| Memorials: | Echuca Loyal Rodney I.O.O.F. No 86 Lodge Honor Roll, Echuca War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Corporal, 371, 4th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' |
|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 371, 4th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Wiltshire, Melbourne | |
| 27 Aug 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant | |
| 24 Mar 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
Arthur Hatton Alder story
Arthurs military career started when he joined the cadets in which he served for 3 years, later he served with the 17th Light Horse Regiment in 1909 and was with this Regiment when World War One started.
He enlisted into the 4th Light Horse Regiment on the 18-8-1914, being an experienced NCO with the 17th Light Horse Regiment he was appointed Signalling Corporal. After training at Egypt he was sent to Gallipoli, landing on the 21-5-1915, where he took part in operations that the 4th Light Horse was involved in. He was promoted to Sergeant on the 11-9-1915 while still serving on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
After the Gallipoli campaign he transferred to the 2nd ANZAC Army Corps Mounted Regiment and embarked for France on the 19-6-1916. While in France he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on the 19-5-1917 and further promoted Lieutenant on the 27-8-1917 and saw the remainder of the war with the 22nd Corps Mounted Troop. After his appointment with the AIF was terminated on the 24-3-1919 he again went into his old Regiment the 17th Light Horse and was appointed Sergeant, being appointed a Lieutenant on the 1-1-1921 when a vacancy became available, he transferred to the retired list on the 2-5-1930.
Belgium Order of the Crown, Listed in the CG 23-07-1919 Page 1169 Conspicuous Services Rendered during the War.
Belgium Croix de Guerre, Listed in the CG 23-07-1919 Page 1170.
He also received the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, this was awarded in 1925
Submitted 19 April 2015 by Kerry Bulow
Biography
Alder, Arthur Hatton, Lieutenant
Arthur was born at Kilmore, Victoria, on 14th May 1889, and he was the son of James Alder and Mary Elizabeth Hatton. Arthur’s military career started when he joined the cadets in which he served for 3 years. He then served with the 17th Light Horse Regiment from 1909 and he was still serving with this regiment at the commencement of the First World War. He enlisted with the 4th Light Horse Regiment on 18th August 1914. Being an experienced NCO with the 17th Light Horse Regiment he was appointed Signalling Corporal. After training in Egypt, he was sent to Gallipoli, where he landed on 21st May 1915.
On 26th December which was the day before he left the Gallipoli Peninsula for Alexandria, Egypt during the evacuation of the ANZAC Corps he was promoted to the rank of Signalling Sergeant. He transferred to the 2nd ANZAC Army Corps Mounted Regiment and he embarked for France on 19th June 1916. Arthur was taken onto the strength of the 2nd ANZAC Mounted Regiment in July 1916. His superiors noted his leadership skills and he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 19th May 1917. Promotion to Lieutenant followed on 27th August 1917. He saw the remainder of the war with the 22nd Corps Mounted Troop.
He embarked for Australian and he was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 23rd March 1919. Arthur rejoined his old Regiment, the 17th Light Horse Regiment and he was appointed a Sergeant as there were no available Officer appointments. He was commissioned a Lieutenant on 1st January 1921 when a vacancy became available. Arthur married Elizabeth Helen Thompson in 1923, and he was promoted to the rank Captain on 11th February 1929. Arthur was placed on the retired list on the 2nd May 1930 and during the Second World War he served with the 5th Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) as a Private from 22nd March 1942 to 9th October 1945. When I sighted his medal group in the late 1990’s his War Medal 1939-45 and Australian Service Medals were not present in his group, which was mounted as worn. These are either unclaimed or he never bothered to have them included in his medal group. Arthur died in Oakleigh, Victoria in 1951, and he was cremated at the Springvale cemetery on 22nd August 1951. His remains are located at the Dodonaea garden, N5, Bed 5, Rose 11. He had a brother who also served during the First World War, 4727 Private Franck Leslie Alder. He served with the 15th reinforcements of the 6th Bn AIF. Arthur’s son also served in the Military, during the Second World War, VX116336 Kenneth Hatton Arthur Alder, he served with the 39th Australian Infantry Battalion.
Awards:
1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
War Medal 1939-45
Australian Service Medal
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, this was awarded in 1925
Belgium Order of the Crown, LG 5th April 1919 Page 4525
“Conspicuous Services Rendered during the War”
Belgium Croix de Guerre, LG 5th April 1919 Page 4525
ANZAC Commemorative Medallion 1967, issued to his wife
Contributed by Kerry Bulow
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