Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alexander was born out of wedlock to Kate Rankine (Nee Bowe) 1896 in France. However, the 1901 Census says he was born Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK. His enlistment records confirm this. Alexander came to Australia with his Aunt Kate Bowe (suspect this was actually his mother) where they took up farming at Black Butt Hill in Balingup, WA.  On arrival in Australia he only used the surname of Bolton. There is nothing in his Ancestry that identifies the name Bolton (possible may be father)

(About Kate Rankine (Bowe) Kate was 68 when she married a Ralph Rankine, who was 25 (They had a 43-year age difference).  She died in 1937 in Victoria.
Passing his medical in Greenbushes, WA on 29 September 1914, he enlisted for service on the 19 October 1914 in Guilford WA and embarked from Fremantle on 17 February 1915 Per Troopship A47 “Mashobra” Arriving Gallipoli 8 May 1915. Sadly, Alexander was prone to continuing bouts of severe asthma, bronchitis and colitis, finally he was sent to England 4 August 1915 and returned to Australia for discharge where he was declared medically unfit and discharged in Perth 27 July 1916.

He stayed in Perth for a while before moving to Carnarvon where his records show that he was receiving a pension at that place.   He seems to have disappeared after that and the war office tried to contact him up till 1924 when his war medals were returned, never having been claimed

The Murchison Times & Day Dawn Gazette (Cue WA Fri 7 Feb 1919 pg. 2

Death from Rifle Shot - On Monday, Mr., J. B. Rymer, J.P.  manager of Berringarra station, reported to the Cue Police that a man named Alexander Bolton, employed on Coleydo, an outstation on the estate, had been found dead as the result of a rifle shot in the head. On January 27th, Mr. Rymer paid a visit to the out-station, which is about 30 miles from Berringarra, and on enquiry from another hand named Martin, stationed there, that Bolton had left on the 24th, riding a horse and leading a packhorse to bring rations from the station. Martin was instructed to immediately pick up Bolton's tracks and follow until he found out the reason of his delay.   The deceased, in journeying to the station, as customary, inspected wells en route, and thus would not travel the direct road. Martin, after following the tracks came upon the body of Bolton at a well, known as the seven mile. The deceased was lying on an unrolled swag, with a rifle barrel in his left hand and the stock on the left leg. The bullet had entered above the left eye and emerged at the back of the head, carrying away part of the skull. Deceased's pint pot was found amongst the remains of a fire partly filled with water.  Mr. Rymer empannelled a jury, viewed the body, and had it buried close to where it lay. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death assuming that deceased had accidentally discharged the rifle in endeavouring to have a shot at a turkey, kangaroo, or other game which came to the well, whilst he lay resting awaiting the pot to boil. The deceased was about 24 years of age, and was supposed to be a native of England. Mr. Rymers's statement has been submitted to the Crown Law Department for confirmation.