CAMERON, Alexander
| Service Number: | 1156 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 February 1915, Liverpool |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Dunedoo, New South Wales, Australia, 16 April 1892 |
| Home Town: | Dunedoo, Warrumbungle Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia, 7 January 1960, aged 67 years |
| Cemetery: |
Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland, New South Wales Cremated - Old Section Family Rose Garden 66, No. 020 |
| Memorials: | Dunedoo District Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1156, 17th Infantry Battalion, Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 1156, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 1156, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 10 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF | |
| 18 Mar 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 5th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 28 Nov 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| 3 Mar 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1156, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, HT Kashmire, England for return to Australia - disembarking Sydney 25 April 1919 for influenza quarantine and release on 2 May 1919. | |
| 1 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1156, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column |
Help us honour Alexander Cameron's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
The eldest of four children from Alexander Andrew (John) Cameron's third marriage to Anorah (Annie) Holmes, Alexander John Cameron was born at Redbank, Dunedoo in 1891.
Enlisting in early 1915, along with his Scottish mate John William (Jock) Raitt who had migrated to Australia before the turn of the century, the pair were assigned to D Company of the 17th Battalion. The boys embarked from Sydney in the ‘Themistocles’ on 12 May 1915 and after training in Egypt, they landed at Gallipoli on August 20.
Private Alex Cameron endured the deprivations of Gallipoli until suffering from jaundice in November 1915, when he was evacuated to Malta for medical treatment. Promoted to Corporal, Jock Raitt remained at Gallipoli until the battalion was evacuated on December 20.
Following reorganisation of the AIF in Egypt, Alexander Cameron was transferred to the 2nd Division Trench Mortar Battery, whilst Raitt remained with the 17th Battalion as they both headed to the Western Front.
Private Alex Cameron served from the latter part of 1916 and throughout 1917 with the Trench Mortar Battery. In early 1918 he was transferred to the 105th Battery of the 5th Field Artillery Brigade, remaining with the Field Artillery until after the Armistice. Transfering to the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column he returned to England from France in early January 1919.
Two weeks later he married Jock Raitt's sister, Elizabeth Anne Raitt in the Church of Scotland parish church at Smiddyhill, Stratcathro, Forfar, Scotland.
The couple returned to Australia and lived at Kogorah, raising two children. Elizabeth died in 1946 aged 53. Their son, Alan James Cameron served in the RAAF and was awarded the British Empire Medal and later the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to surf life saving.
Alexander John Cameron passed away in 1960 at the age of 68.
Click images to start slideshow.