Caird, Alexander

No.21969 – Driver Alexander Caird – 8^th Field Artillery Brigade

Alexander Caird was born in Broken Hill NSW in 1893 to Mr. and Mrs. George Caird. The family came over to WA while Alex was still young and took up residence at 72 High Street Fremantle. The boys were educated locally and they also served in the Garrison Artillery. Alex secured employment in the South west as a Mill Hand though he seemed to use the High Street Fremantle Address as his base. When war was declared, Harry enlisted in October 1915 at the Swan Barracks in Perth. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service and described his physical attributes as 5 feet 10 & ½ inches tall; weight of 164lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

After his successful enlistment Alex was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.34 Training Depot. On the 4^th November 1915 he was then assigned to D Company of No.4 Depot. He remained with this group for over a month but due to his previous experience in the Artillery, Alex was assigned to the Artillery Reinforcement group which was sent to the Victorian training camp at Maribyrnong. He was given the rank of Gunner and was attached to the newly forming 3^rd Division artillery. On the 1^st April 1916 he was transferred to the 3^rd Australian Division Ammunition Column as a Driver. He remained with them for a month and on the 1^st May 1916 he was transferred to the 23^rd Howitzer Brigade.

On the 20^th May 1916 Alex boarded the HMAT Medic in Port Melbourne and set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth Harbour on the 18^th July 1916.

For the remainder of 1916 Alex was training with the 3^rd Division Artillery. On the 31^st December 1916 Alex boarded a transport ship to France, but he would not be with his unit for long as on the 12^th January 1917 he was transferred to the 8^th Field Artillery Brigade.

For the next few months Alex was stationed on the Armentieres front though by May 1917 they had transferred to southern Belgium where they would take part in the Messines Offensive. From July to October 1917 Alex and his unit took part in the bombardment of German positions during the Third Battle of Ypres. He survived all these actions unscathed and on the 28^th October 1917 he was granted a fortnight’s leave to Paris, returning to his unit on the 17^th November 1917.

Alex served constantly through the next year as the battery was in Northern France through the first months of 1918 and in April 1918 when they were transferred to the Villers-Bretonneux front. The next few months were very busy for the artillery as they supported the infantry, firstly on a defensive footing and then from June onwards on more attacking manoeuvres. With the large advance of August 8^th 1918 the artillery quickly followed up the infantry and provided crucial fire support. Alex survived all these actions unscathed and on the 30^th October 1918 he was granted a fortnight’s leave to England.

He was still in England when the armistice was announced in what must have been a joyous time. On the 17^th November 1918 Alex returned to France and he remained with his unit for the next few months as they settled down to a new peace time routine. On the 2^nd April 1919 Alex left France for England and was sent to Codford Camp to await a berth on a transport ship home.

On the 1^st June 1919 Alex boarded the HMAT Somali and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 8^th July 1919. Alex was discharged from the AIF on the 12^th September 1919.