The AIF Project

Alexander Walker AITCHISON

Regimental number1128
Place of birthPenrith, New South Wales
SchoolCleveland High School, New South Wales
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationCook
Address101 Trafalgar Street, Annandale, Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation30
Height5' 3"
Weight111 lbs
Next of kinWife, Mrs Elsie May Aitchison, 101 Trafalgar Street, Annandale, Sydney, New South Wales
Previous military serviceServed in the Royal Navy HMS 'Pioneer', in the capacity as cook.
Enlistment date19 February 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll19 February 1915
Place of enlistmentLiverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name18th Battalion, D Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/35/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board Transport A40 Ceramic on 25 June 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll18th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 22 August 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Date of death22 August 1915
Age at death31
Place of burialHill 60 Cemetery (Secial. Memorial 1), Gallipoli, Turkey.
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
84
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: David Frith and Elsie AITCHISON; husband of Elsie Mary AITCHISON, 10 Banks Avenue, Daceyville, New South Wales. Native of Penrith, New South Wales
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 16 August 1915.

Reported missing, between 21 and 25 August 1915.

Court of Enquiry, held at Tel el Kebir, 16 January 1916, concluded: 'Reasonable to suppose dead'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 00401016, 1168 Sergeant R.J. EVERSON, 18th Bn (patient, Montazah Convalescent Camp, Egypt), 4 November 1915: 'Witness says it was common knowledge that Aitchison on Aug. 22 in an advanced trench had all the front of his face blown off and no medical aid was obtainable, he was still alive when the fellows who told Everson left the trench but he seemed a hopeless case. A lot of men were buried round this spot a few days after.'

Second statement, 1313 Pte J. WHITE, D Company, 18th Bn (patient, All Saints' Hospital, Malta), 12 November 1915: 'On the 27th Aug. we were close to Hill [?]. We left our trench, charged and took an advanced trench from which we had to retire to our old quarters. There we saw Aitchison lying with his face terribly injured but not quite dead. The bearers refused to move him as his case was hopeless. He died.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, AITCHISON Alexander Walker
Red Cross File No 00401016

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