ALDER, Henry Robert
| Service Number: | 8729 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 July 1915, Liverpool |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia, 8 April 1897 |
| Home Town: | Drummoyne, Canada Bay, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Natural causes, Sydney, New South Wales, 1967 |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 8729, 1st Field Ambulance, Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 8729, 1st Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 15 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 8729, 1st Field Ambulance, RMS Osterley, Sydney | |
| 9 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 7th Field Ambulance | |
| 12 Dec 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 8729, 7th Field Ambulance, HT Nestor, England for return to Australia - arriving 1 February 1919. | |
| 18 Apr 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 8729, 7th Field Ambulance |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Harry Alder was born in 1897 and christened Henry Robert Alder, the son of Henry Robert (Senior) and Louisa Alder of Drummoyne. When he enlisted for World War I service in July 1915, his occupation was listed as clerk. After serving with the 7th Field Ambulance on the Western Front he returned to Australia in December 1918.
After the war Alder returned to his occupation of clerk and in 1922 married Scottish born Mary Wilson Fairbairn at Drummoyne.
By 1927 he was Deputy Town Clerk for Manly Municipal Council. In 1929 he was appointed to the position of Town Clerk for the Lane Cove Municipality. Harry and his wife Mary then moved to Lane Cove. They initially lived in Dorritt Street for about 6 months but then moved to Rosenthal Avenue, both imbuing themselves into the activities of the Lane Cove community.
He retired on 28 November 1960 due to ill health. A dinner for 500 people was arranged by the Lane Cove Council to pay tribute to his 31 years of service.
A newspaper reported:
"He is recognised in Local Government circles as one of the best and soundest authorities in Local Government in the state and his guidance of the mayors and aldermen has been responsible for the sound position in which Lane Cove is today."
During his speech at the dinner, Mayor Alderman A. E. L. Griffith, paid tribute to Mrs Mary Wilson Alder who had contributed greatly to the community. Mrs Alder formed the Lane Cove Red Cross Branch in 1935 and was untiring in her efforts for 31 years with the organisation. In the New Year Honour List of 1967, Mrs Alder was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Community Service (MBE).
In retirement, Harry wrote a history of Local Government in Lane Cove: The first 25 years 1895 -1920, which was published by the Lane Cove Historical Society in 1964.
Alder Avenue, Lane Cove West is named after Harry Alder in 1955 for his outstanding contribution to the Municipality of Lane Cove as Town Clerk from 1929 to 1960
Henry Robert Alder died in 1967.
Source: https://aurorashore.com.au/NSHOR/LANECOVE/DOCUMENTS/JPEG/Alder%20Avenue.pdf
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