Sgt
Alexander Stuart
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1890 |
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Place of birth: Burwood, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Butcher |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Sergeant |
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Service number: 7877 |
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Enlistment date: 2/11/1915 |
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Enlistment place: National Park, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Field Artillery, 5th Bde. Ammunition Col. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 23/07/1917 |
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Place of death: Hill 60, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 27 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 7 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Sergeant Alexander Stuart served in the Ammunition Column of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade, part of the 2nd Australian Division Artillery. He enlisted on the 2nd of November 1915 and was assigned as a driver to the Ammunition Column of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade. On the 10th of March 1916 he was promoted to bomber and on the 20th of November 1916 he was promoted to Corporal. On the 1st of June of 1917 he was promoted to Sergeant.
At the start of the month July, the 5th Brigade of the Australian Field Artillery was in Northern-France. On the 6th of July 1917 it received orders to prepare for a move to the Ypres area on the 9th of July. The Brigade arrived in the Ypres area on the 17th of July. It camped in the village of Dikkebus, just southwest of the city of Ypres. On July the 18th the Brigade received instructions to take up positions near “Spoilbank” at the Ypres-Comines Canal. The Brigade would participate in the preliminary shelling of German positions in anticipation of the Third Battle of Ypres, which would erupt in full force on the 31st of July 1917.
The whole Brigade was taken in to action on July the 20th 1917. However the Batteries were shelled by the Germans on arrival, but the Brigade suffered no casualties. New Battery positions were selected, in anticipation of the impending offensive. Thus the Batteries of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade moved to the vicinity of Larch Wood and Hill 60 on the 22nd of July. The Batteries took up positions on the forward slope of Hill 60. However this meant that the Batteries were in full view of the Germans. Although the gun pits and ammunition dumps were carefully camouflaged, the positions were regularly shelled by the German artillery.
Sergeant Alexander Stuart of the Ammunition Column of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade was killed in action by German shelling on the 23rd of July 1917. He likely died while supplying the Batteries of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade, on the eastern slope of Hill 60. He was buried on Hill 60, near the place where he fell. But the grave got lost in the later duration of the offensive. Sergeant Alexander Stuart is now remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.
At the start of the month July, the 5th Brigade of the Australian Field Artillery was in Northern-France. On the 6th of July 1917 it received orders to prepare for a move to the Ypres area on the 9th of July. The Brigade arrived in the Ypres area on the 17th of July. It camped in the village of Dikkebus, just southwest of the city of Ypres. On July the 18th the Brigade received instructions to take up positions near “Spoilbank” at the Ypres-Comines Canal. The Brigade would participate in the preliminary shelling of German positions in anticipation of the Third Battle of Ypres, which would erupt in full force on the 31st of July 1917.
The whole Brigade was taken in to action on July the 20th 1917. However the Batteries were shelled by the Germans on arrival, but the Brigade suffered no casualties. New Battery positions were selected, in anticipation of the impending offensive. Thus the Batteries of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade moved to the vicinity of Larch Wood and Hill 60 on the 22nd of July. The Batteries took up positions on the forward slope of Hill 60. However this meant that the Batteries were in full view of the Germans. Although the gun pits and ammunition dumps were carefully camouflaged, the positions were regularly shelled by the German artillery.
Sergeant Alexander Stuart of the Ammunition Column of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade was killed in action by German shelling on the 23rd of July 1917. He likely died while supplying the Batteries of the Australian Field Artillery 5th Brigade, on the eastern slope of Hill 60. He was buried on Hill 60, near the place where he fell. But the grave got lost in the later duration of the offensive. Sergeant Alexander Stuart is now remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.
Sources 3
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5th Australian Divisional Ammunition Column, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 13/78/14). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, STUART A). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx. Sources used |
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Headquarters, 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 13/33/20). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1601407 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=593175b8-d2bf-421a-8ec6-160484aaa2ee |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7597555 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=291116 |