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Pte. Alfred Douglas Black "Tibb" Erwin
Australian Imperial Force 18th Battalion
from:Balmain, Drummoynen, SW Australia
(d.5th Aug 1915)
I just wanted to pay this tribute to a very special dear uncle, even though I didn't get to meet him, but after researching his life and times I feel very close to him. Also my grandfather and grandmother what these two dear people went through is just so, so, sad in the lose of their beloved eldest son. My mum's [Alma] eldest brother even she didn't get the chance to meet and love him because he died the year my mum was born on the 17th august 1915. Her brother passed 5th august 1915. Not only was Grandma Erwin [Amy Jane] and Grandpa Erwin [Alfred James] trying to come to terms with their son's death but grandpa was also wounded on Gallipoli beach as he got out of one of the boats shot through the ear the bullet dislodging behind his ear but it's the damage it did coming out behind his ear. He was sent home on a hospital ship which on the same day passed the very ship his son Alfred was on going overseas as these ships passed each other the soldiers cooed to each other. Little did grandpa know he was passing his son on the other ship and of course my mum's second name Ceramic is the ship grandpa came home on.
Grandma Erwin was nursing grandpa back to some kind of good health and mum told me he was not the same man that went away according to grandma. This dear lady was raising a family of ten nursing a husband and living from hand to mouth how strong was she! And still waiting at this time to find out the fate of her beloved son who had been reported missing. It took right up until 1917 before they were sure of uncle Alfred's demise. Sadly, I didn't get to know these wonderful people either as they had both passed by the time I arrived in 1940.
Uncle Alfred enlisted at Liverpool, Sydney on the 7th August 1915 he was 21 his army no. 2365. He embarked at Sydney for the Middle East with the 5th Reinforcements 18th Battalion per the ship HMAS a32 Themistocles on the 5th October 1915. Before Uncle Alfred enlisted he had spent three years with the Militia Forces at the age of 18 before he transferred to the AIF.
Then 'A' Company 18th Battalion at Tel-elkebir on 10th January 1916 reported embarked at Alexandra for service in France on 17th March 1916 disembarked at Marseilles 25th March 1916 reported missing 5th August 1915 killed in action that same day his actual birthday was 7th July 1915 makes one wonder if he got to celebrate in any way with his mates and how did they celebrate?
Uncle Alfred was killed instantly along side his best mate Roy Erickson [they were neighbours living next door to each other in Thornley Street Drummoyne ] apparently a bomb landed right on top of them in the Black Watch Trench at Pozziers. They were defending their mates, then they mates who weren't too injured picked up what they could of the two bodies and buried them at the back of the trench and put crosses with their names and numbers on the grave top. Four years later after much bombing and fighting they were found by recovery troops looking for bodies. Roys grave was pretty much ok along with his information but uncle Alfred's had the cross knocked down and any info on his cross was hard to read. Roy was interred again at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Cemetery by the Commonwealth War Graves Commison. I was lucky enough to get in contact with a great gentleman from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and after writing under freedom of information to France, AMR Rod Muir gave me some extra info, I passed it on to this wonderful man and he did further investigation for me finding info somewhere overseas in a cellar basement records of Uncle Alfred. Then he had some good news saying to me, I think we have found your uncle and it goes like this.. when Roy Erickson was found they also dug up [excuse the expression ] Uncle Alfred, they interred Roy in the Viller-Bretonneux Cemetery plot number 111 row p grave 27 and Uncle Alfred is in a grave in same row but his headstone says unknown soldier. This was really great as at least I knew he was buried and not strewn all over the place in bits and pieces. I have visited grandpa and grandma at the field of Marrs Cemetery and told them all about their son, silly me they most likely already knew when they arrived upstairs with dear god.
Love you all dearly thank you Grandpa and Uncle Alfred for what you did for our family .
