Alfred Irving Rowntree

Rank: Private

Service Number: 3119

Units Served: 43rd Battalion

Personal Details: Alfred Irving Rowntree was born to Nathan Kirk Rowntree and Rachel Rowntree in 1889 and was raised on a farm in Ardrossan. He spent his time working on the farm with his father. At enlistment, Alfred was 28 years and 7 months, weighed 150 pounds, was 5 feet 10 inches in height, had a medium complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.

Enlistment Details: Alfred enlisted on the 15th of February 1917 and was quickly assigned to the 43rd Infantry Battalion where he would serve as a Private. He was due to leave Adelaide aboard the H.M.A.T A30 “Borda” on the 23rd of June 1917.

Details about his role in War: The ship landed in Plymouth on 25th August 1917, then disembarked to the small village of Larkhill, approximately 16km north of Salisbury, on the 2nd September. It was there for a little over a month he trained in the 11th Training Battalion. Then, on the 11th November 1917, Alfred was sent to Sutton Mandeville in the south of England where he was to train with the 10th Training Battalion. Five weeks passed, and it was time for Alfred to be taken on strength in the 43rd Battalion, henceforth being shipped from Southampton on the 18th December, 1917 to Le Havre in France, arriving on the 23rd when he marched out to his unit. He was then sent into action on the 29th December in the battlefields situated close to Havre. He fought gallantly for a bit over a month, however was wounded in action on the 9th February 1918. Alfred received gunshot wounds to his left arm, chest and abdomen and was admitted on 10th. He died on 2 days later and was buried in the Bailluel Cemetery the following day.

Age at Death: Alfred died almost exactly a year after he enlisted; making him aged 29 years and 7 months when he died.

Cemetery or Memorial Details: Alfred was buried in the Bailleul Cemetery Extension in Nord, northern France on the 13/2/1918.

Image from the "Chronicle" 16th March 1918 sourced through Trove