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Aspinall A    Pte    759

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 10 years, 10 months ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

 

Private Alfred Aspinall, killed, Essendon Gazette 1 July 1915

 

Aspinall A    Pte    759    Alfred          6th Inf Bn      19    Salesman    Single    C of E       

Address:    Richmond North, Thomas St, 10   

Next of Kin:    Aspinall, Alfred, father, 10 Thomas St, Richmond North   

Enlisted:    17 Aug 1914       

Embarked:     A20 Hororata 19 Oct 1914   

Prior service:  65th Inf Bn

 

Date of Death:  25/04/1915

CWGC: "Son of Alfred Aspinall, of 18, Cromwell St., Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, and the late Jane Aspinall. Native of Ballarat".

LONE PINE MEMORIAL

 

Private Alfred (Fred) Aspinall

 

by Sheila Byard

 

 

Private Alfred Aspinall died in action on Gallipoli on April 25th 1915. His father, also Alfred Aspinall was a railwayman, a widower, and the only other member of the immediate family seems to have been Fred’s sister, Frances.

A letter from the family in his Army file suggests that they thought that he died on June 6th 1915. This may have arisen from the notification given them in September 17 1915 that the fact he “was killed in action at the Dardenelles” had been the subject of a cable (MFC 4444) from the Officer Commanding, Intermediate Base Alexandria date June 10th 1915.

Alfred Aspinall according to his attestation form was born in Williamstown on October 12th 1894, although the Australian War Memorial shows that his father provided the information that he as “Native of Ballarat’. He was a salesman with an Elizabeth St city firm when, at 19 years and 6 months, he enlisted for overseas service on August 17th 1914.

 

The family had lived in Kensington but by the time of his enlistment he and his next of kin, his father, Alfred Aspinall were living at 10 Thomas St, West Richmond. He was 5’5’’ in height and weighed 9 stone, 6 pound, brown hair, fair complexion and grey eyes. His religious affiliation was shown as Church of England.

His attestation form showed that he had served for two years and three months in the colonial forces in the 64th Battalion, the unit based at the Drill Hall, Victoria Street, Melbourne, near the Victoria Market. He had also served for a year as a Senior Cadet. He was appointed to G company of the 6th Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade.

 

Pte A Aspinall in his cadet uniform,  in the  

The Australasian, 10 July 1915, courtesy

of Kim Phillips, Spirits of Gallipoli.

 

He embarked at Melbourne on the HMAT A 20 Hororata on October 19th 1914. After 5 months of service he spent 38 days in the Mena Hospital in Alexandria.

After his death, the only effects returned to the family included a pair of shorts, 4 handkerchiefs, and 5 books.

By the time came for agreement to be reached as to the wording on his war grave in June 1920, correspondence was addressed to his father at a new address 18 Cromwell St, Collingwood. However it is seems that no reply was received to the Army’s letter about the need for the wording to fit within the limits imposed by the War Graves Commission.


Private Aspinall’s family, by then living in Gipps St East Melbourne, received notification of his place on the Lone Pine Memorial in 1926.

He had been insured with Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd and the Army was requested to supply a certificate relating to his death to enable a claim to be made in respect of his death in July 1915; it appears this matter may not have been resolved until 1920.

War Grave Register notes: ASPINALL, Pte. Alfred, 759. 6th Bn. Killed in action 25th April, 1915. Age 20. Son of Alfred Aspinall, of 18, Cromwell St., Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, and the late Jane Aspinall. Native of Ballarat. 26.
Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

 

 

 

The Argus 19 June 1915

 

KILLED IN ACTION.
ASPINALL. - In loving memoryof Alfred
(Freddie) who fell in action at the Dardanelles,
the dear friend of Mrs Morton, Doris, and
Ralph of Brunswick,
He gave his best, his life, his all

ASPINALL -In remembrance of my dear friend, 
Fred, killed in action at the Dardanelles (In-
serted by Jack Cuskelly)

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1525562

 

 

The Argus 22 June 1915

 

PRIVATE A. ASPINALL    
(Killed) resided with his father, Mr. A Aspinall, at 10 Thomas street, North Richmond. He was 20 years of age, and attended the St Kilda Grammar School. Prior to enlisting he was employed by Mr. Rosenthal, tailor, Elizabeth street, Melbourne. The family are well known in Kensington, where they resided until two years ago.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1526117

 

 

Essendon Gazette 1 July 1915 

 

Private Alfred (Fred.) Aspinall, who is reported as killed at the Dardanelles, was 20½  years of age, and was the son of Mr. Alfred Aspinall, leading hand car builder in the Newport workshops and a very old resident of Bellair street, Kensington, until he moved to Richmond two years ago. Deceased was very popular in Kensington, where he was a pupil of Mr. Lynch's physical culture school. He was also a promising pupil of F. and A. Boyde's boxing school, and took part in a contest of the Amateur Athetic Association two years ago, when he won a couple of rounds. He was educated at All Saints’ Grammar School, St. Kilda, and was a boy chorister at Holy Trinity Church of England, Kensington, for some years. Before going to the front he was in the employ of Rosenthal Bros., Beehive Clothing Co., Elizabeth street.

 

 

War Service Commemorated

Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour

Holy Trinity Church of England Kensington

 

In Memoriam

 

ASPINALL-In affectionate remembrance of Alfred Aspinall,
only son of Alfred and the late Jane Aspinall, of Thomas street,
Richmond, late of  Wolseley parade. Kensington, who was
killed in action at the Dardanelles, April 25, 1915. (Alf
Aspinall, sen.) 

ASPINALL.-In loving memory of Fred Aspinall,
killed in action ot the Dardanelles, April 25, 1915
(Violet M. Jones.)

The Argus 25 April 1916

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2103384

 

ASPINALL-In loving memory of Fred Aspinall,
who was killed at the Dardanelles 25th April, 1915.
(Violet M Jones ) 

The Argus 25 April 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1613078

 

No In Memoriam in the Argus in 1918, no further years checked. 

 


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