Fry, Alfred Narroway

Lieutenant Alfred Narroway Fry - Australian Flying Corps & W85421 Volunteer Defence Corps

Alfred Fry was born in Mt Egerton Victoria on the 11th March 1895. He was educated locally and while he was still young the family moved across to Western Australia. They family resided at both Fremantle and the Goldfields. Prior to the First World War Alfred secured employment as a clerk for the Fremantle Harbour Trust. During this time Alfred was also a member of the Garrison Artillery.

On the 23rd September 1914 Alfred enlisted into the AIF and was assigned as a Gunner to the Ammunition Column of the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade. Alfred boarded the HMAT Medic in Fremantle Harbour on the 31st October 1914 and after a couple of days moored in Gage Roads, the ship set sail on the 2nd November 1914.

After a few months in Egypt Alfred was transferred into the 8th Field Artillery Battery and was with them when the unit landed at Gallipoli. The artillery batteries provided fire support for the beleaguered Anzac troops clinging on to their toehold at Gallipoli. 

On the 16th July 1915 Alfred was wounded by shrapnel and was evacuated to hospital in Malta and then Egypt. After Gallipoli was evacuated, Alfred rejoined the 8th Battery in Egypt and was promoted to Bombardier. 

Alfred remained with the artillery through 1916/17 in France and was promoted to Sergeant. In late 1917 he applied to join the Australian Flying Corps but it appears this wasn't granted until early 1918. 

Alfred then remained in England going to an Officers school at Oxford as he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant and then attended the various aviation schools to qualify as a pilot.

While he did qualify as a pilot, the war ended before Alfred could be sent to a Squadron in France.

In 1919 in England Alfred was able to apply for some non military employment to study aeronautical engineering for a period of three months. 

Alfred returned home to Fremantle in early 1920 and was subsequently discharged from the AIF on the 20th April 1920.

While briefly returning to work for Fremantle Harbour Trust, he also played League Football for South Fremantle during 1920/21.

Alfred then moved south to Quinninup to become a dairy farmer and in 1926 he married Beryl Norton in Bunbury.

In World War Two, Alfred again served, volunteering in 1942. He was assigned to the Volunteer Defence Corps (W85421) once again serving as a Lieutenant. Alfred attended more courses including one on Guerilla warfare, as at the time in 1942 there was a fear of Japanese invasion of mainland Australia.

Alfred served in the Volunteer Defence Corps up till 1945. He was then discharged and returned to his full time life as a Dairy Farmer.

Alfred Fry died aged 87 in 1979 at Manjimup.

Alfred Fry's life has been documented in a book called 'Where there's smoke there's Fry'. Written By Chris Hales and Published in 1999 by Hesperian press