The AIF Project

Enlisted Liverpool, New South Wales, 4 December 1914; discharged, unfit, 23 January 1915 (refused to be inoculated against typhoid).

Re-enlisted, 4 June 1915, at Brisbane, Queensland. OC, 'D' Company. 41st Bn, Enoggera, recommended discharge, 12 April 1916: 'I beg to apply for the discharge of CROOKS Alfred Patton on account of his not being likely to become an efficient soldier. This man is a heavy drinker & will never be of any use as a soldier. He has been in camp since 4th June 1915 & has 9 crimes entered on his conduct sheet, all of them being either for drunkenness or absence without leave. At present he is in detention for 21 days.' Discharged, 27 April 1916.

War service: Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 25 November 1916; disembarked Devonport, England, 29 January 1917. Admitted to Fovant Military Hospital, 5 March 1917 (bronchitis); marched in to 9th Training Bn, Larkhill (discharged from hospital), 11 April 1917. Found guilty, 6 April 1917, of when in Camp being found beyond the limits fixed by Garrison orders, without a Pass or written leave from his commanding officer & remaining absent from 8 am on 6-4-17 until apprehended in Salisbury at 3.30 pm on 9.4.17: awarded 3 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 8 days' pay. Found guilty, 20 June 1917, of being absent without leave from 6 pm, 9-11-17, until apprehended by the Military Police at Belfast at 8.30 pm, 14-11-17: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 39 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 12 December 1917; taken on strength, 34th Bn, 18 December 1917.

Found guilty, 18 April 1918, of absenting himself without leave from 11 am, 30-3-18, till 2 pm, 8-4-18: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 38 days' pay.

Wounded in action, 14 July 1918, and admitted to 10th Field Ambulance, 15 July 1918 (gun shot wound, wrist), and transferred to 5th Casualty Clearing Station; transferred to 5th General Hospital, Rouen, 16 July 1918; to England, 26 July 19178, and admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, 27 July 1918 (gun shot wound, left forearm; compound fracture); to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 11 September 1918; discharged to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 23 September 1918.

Casualty previously reported as 'S.I.W. whilst A.W.L.' now classified as 'Wounded in action', 14 July 1918.

Reported Absent Without Leave, 23 October 1918. Found guilty, 9 November 1918, of being absent without leave from 1500, 23-10-18, until apprehended in Belfast at 1000, 27.10.18: awarded forfeiture of 4 days' pay; total pay forfeited: 8 days'. Found guilty, 21 December 1918, of being absent without leave, 2200, 19.12.18, to 2100, 20.12.18: awarded 4 days' confined to barracks; forfeited 1 day's pay. Found guilty, 17 January 1919, of being absent without leave from 0845, 7.1.19, to 1030, 16.1.19: awarded 10 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 20 days' pay.

Found guilty, 11 March 1919, of (1) being absent without leave from 0845, 2-3-19, till 1900, 3-3-19; (2) conduct to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline viz. Begging for money from a house in Weymouth: awarded 2 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 27 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France under escort, 23 March 1919 (for trial for alleged self-inflicted wounds); rejoined unit, 30 March 1919.

Admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance, 23 April 1919, and transferred to 3rd Australian General Hospital (dropped wrist); transferred to England and admitted to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 30 April 1919.

Charge of alleged S.I.W. whilst A.W.L. 15-7-18: case dismissed, 18 April 1919 (dealt with summarily by Authority DAAG, Australian Corps). Discharged from hospital, on furlough, 26 May 1919, to report to AIF Headquarters. Reported absent without leave, 26 May 1919; apprehended by Australian Military Police in London, 21 June 1919. Found guilty, 1 July 1919, of being absent without leave from 10 am, 26-5-19, to 10 am, 21-6-19: awarded forfeiture of 14 days' pay; forfeited a total of 40 days' pay.

Marched in to No 5 Group, Weymouth, 3 July 1919; marched out to No 2 Group, Sutton Veny, 4 July 1919. Admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital, 12 July 1919 (old gun shot wound, forearm); discharged, 16 July 1919. Reported absent without leave, 11 August 1919. Admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny, 27 August 1919 (cellulitis, leg).

Commenced return to Australia on board 'Nestor', 1 November 1919;disembarked Melbourne, 15 December 1919; discharged, medically unfit, 26 March 1920.