Karl ALKSEN

ALKSEN, Karl

Service Number: 6028
Enlisted: 14 August 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: I ANZAC Corps Headquarters
Born: Windau, Russia (Now Latvia), 17 February 1872
Home Town: Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Sailor
Died: The Heatherton Sanitorium, Victoria, Australia, 17 April 1924, aged 52 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Cheltenham (Pioneer) Cemetery, Victoria
Memorials:
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

14 Aug 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6028, 22nd Infantry Battalion
31 Oct 1916: Involvement Private, 6028, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
31 Oct 1916: Embarked Private, 6028, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Melbourne
19 Sep 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 6028, I ANZAC Corps Headquarters, 2nd MD

Help us honour Karl Alksen's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Dan Jones 
 
Another forgotten soldier resting at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. 99 years ago on the 19 April 1924, 6028 Private Karl Alksen, 22nd Infantry Battalion, AIF, was buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery, Victoria.

Karl Alksen was born on the 17 February 1872 in Windau, Russia (Now Latvia). The son of Minnie and Andrew Alksen, a master mariner.

When war broke out, a 42-year-old Karl was living in NSW and working as sailor when he enlisted on the 14 August 1916. Assigned to the 22nd Infantry Battalion, he shipped out and was sent to France, via the UK. Landing in France in April 1917, a little over 5 months later, Alksen was WIA. He would be wounded again (gassed) in July 1918, and a further time in September 1918 (gassed, 2nd occasion). Catching Influenza, which led to Pneumonia in February 1919, he was classed as dangerously and seriously ill. Recovering, Karl would return to Australia in late May, and was discharged on the 19 September 1919.

Post war, Karl moved to St Kilda, Victoria. He passed away at Heatherton Sanitorium of Tuberculosis and heart failure on the 17 April 1924 aged 54 years. As he had no family in Australia, he was buried in an unmarked grave. He never married.

I have submitted an application to mark his grave. Lest we forget.

Read more...