Carlson, Aage

31 Private Aage Carlson - 16th Battalion AIF

Aage Carlson was born in Brorop Denmark on the 10th March 1891 to Jorgen and Laura Carlson.

Aage emigrated to Australia in the 1900's when he arrived in Victoria. He later moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Fremantle. He was living at a residence called 'Sandhurst' in Bayly Street North Fremantle.

Aage was working as a Machinist in North Fremantle.

On the 8th September 1914 Aage enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 Feet 9 inches tall;

Weight - 136lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

There was some initial concern as his British Naturalisation papers were not produced but this appears to have been soon sorted out.

Aage was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and he was assigned to the newly forming 16th Battalion AIF.

The 16^th Battalion, part of the 4^th Brigade, was initially formed up into a Western Australian & South Australian unit, with the majority of the men coming from WA. The initial training at Blackboy Hill camp at Helena Vale was very strenuous as men were being changed from their civilian life into soldiers.

As the battalions of the 4^th Brigade were all from different states, it was decided to get them all together for further training at Broadmeadows camp in Victoria, so on November 21^st 1915 the 16^th Battalion left Helena Vale for Fremantle where they embarked on troopships for Melbourne. Under command of Colonel Monash the 4^th Brigade settled down to more training at Broadmeadows camp. Rumours were always circling around camp as to when they would be embarking for service overseas and after the 4^th Brigade march through Melbourne it was thought that embarkation was close at hand. So it was that on the 22^nd of December 1914, the 16^th Battalion embarked on the ship A40 HMAT Ceramic.

After 6 weeks aboard the transport ship, the men of the 16^th Battalion were about to step ashore in Alexandria. After arrival in Egypt, the 16^th Battalion set up camp in the desert at Heliopolis, just outside of Cairo, where they joined the 1^st Light Horse Brigade, and the New Zealand Brigade. The Company system was now reformed and Alfred became part of “A” Company. Over the next two months Aage and the rest of the 16^th Battalion were to train hard in the desert, with also a little recreation time to see the sites of Egypt, in particular the pyramids and Cairo.

Aage and his Battalion remained in Egypt until the 12^th April 1915. They then boarded transport ships in Alexandria and set sail for Lemnos Island. They were here for a few weeks and were able to watch the build up of transport ships as the landing date got closer. As it turned out the battalions of the 4^th Brigade didn’t land on the shores at Gallipoli until late on April 25^th 1915 when they would go to the front line in support of the Australian & New Zealand troops who had already landed.

When they came ashore after 5pm the 16^th Battalion was sent to a crucial part of the front line, which later became known as Pope’s Hill, named after the 16^th Battalion’s commanding officer. Popes Hill was successfully held by the 16^th Battalion, but it was open to Turkish sniper fire from a nearby ridge called Russell’s Top. These snipers were to cause many casualties over the next few days.

Aage was in “A” Company under the command of Major Mansbridge and they were in the thick of the action. From April 25^th to the morning of April 30^th the 16^th Battalion were in the Pope’s Hill sector and in the evening of Friday April 30^th they were withdrawn to a rest camp but it did not live up to its name as the area was under Turkish sniper fire and the 16^th Battalion lost 50 men to snipers in two days.

On the 2nd May 1915 the 16th Battalion attacked Turkish positions at what would be called Dead Man's Ridge. The 16th Battalion were heavily hit by the Turkish fire and most of the men killed were left lying where they fell, hence the name that this site was called. Aage survived this action and the subsequent assault at Quinn's Post a week later.

Aage fell ill with pneumonia and rheumatism and was evacuated back to hospital in Egypt. He spent several weeks in hospital in Egypt but returned to join the 16th Battalion on the 22nd July 1915.

Aage returned to Gallipoli in time for the next offensive in August 1915. The 16th Battalion were involved in the advance towards Hill 971 in the northern section of the battlefield.

During the initial advance on the 8th August Aage was hit by a Turkish bullet however the bullet only dented the bullet cartridge case (photo above from 16th Bn history). Two days later on the 10th August Aage was wounded when a bullet hit him through the right arm.

He was evacuated by hospital ship to Malta where his wound was treated. To exacerbate matters Aage was also suffering from dysentery. On the 15th September 1915 Aage was evacuated to Hospital in England.

He had the next few months in hospital in England and in early 1916 Aage suffered a fractured ankle. This caused a few more months in hospital recovering though the ankle did not improve as hoped so the medical authorities organised for Aage to be returned to Australia.

On the 8th August 1916 Aage boarded the troopship ship Marathon for the journey home, reaching Fremantle on the 24th September 1916.

Aage was subsequently discharged from the AIF and began working as a Motor Driver in Fremantle and then Kalgoorlie.

On the 30th January 1918 Aage re-enlisted into the AIF. He was once again found physically fit for service. Due to his occupation as a Motor Driver he requested to serve in either the Australian Flying Corps, The Australian Army Service Corps or the Light Horse.

Aage was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he served in the training depots. In May 1918 he was assigned to the Australian Army Service Corps but only served within WA. As he was now found medically unfit for service overseas Aage was discharged from the AIF on the 18th June 1918.

During this time in 1918 his address was c/o the Fremantle Post Office but was also living with a friend in Burt Street Cottesloe. Aage moved to live with another friend in View Street Cottesloe and on the 26th August 1918 tried once again to enlist. However it appears his enlistment was knocked back due to being medically unfit.

In 1923 in Cottesloe Aage married Hazel Ainslie Hooper and they soon moved to 95 Central Avenue Maylands. They would go on to have three children, Margaret, Yvonne and Keith.

In 1929 Aage was involved in a motor accident which knocked down a nine year old child but fortunately the child survived.

Aage was now working as a cinema operator in the 1930's. He was employed at the Grand Theatre Company in Murray Street Perth.

In 1940 Aage once again offered his services. Despite being 49 years old he was accepted into the services (W31707). He served in 1940-41 with the 5th Garrison Battalion before being discharged at the end of 1941. However early in 1942 Aage re-enlisted and was accepted for service with No.3 Swan Battalion and also the 29th Anti Aircraft Battery of the Volunteer Defence Corps. (W94775) During the years 1942 to 1946 Aage took part in various areas around WA. He was also at one stage part of the gun crew on Buckland Hill in Mosman Park.

Aage Carlson died on the 13th May 1977.