Harwood, Alan Alma John

1653 Private Alan Alma John Harwood - 44th Battalion AIF

Alan Alma John Harwood was born in Fremantle on the 14th November 1891 to George and Hannah Harwood, being one of eleven siblings. The family had lived in East Street Plympton/East Fremantle.

His father died in 1894 and his mother remarried a few years later to a John Bright.

The family then moved to Bellevue and after leaving school Alan became a brick maker.

On the 29th January 1916 Alan enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height  - 5 feet 6 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 128lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment, Alan was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the depot training camp. He was taken through the basics of infantry work. He was then transferred to Claremont Camp where he was assigned to the 1st Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion AIF.

He trained in the Claremont region for the next few months and also at the Osborne Rifle Range (present day Swanbourne). In early June 1916 their embarkation orders arrived.

On the 6^th June 1916 the 44^th Battalion boarded the HMAT Suevic in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 21^st July 1916. After being disembarked the men were sent to the 3^rd Division Training ground at Salisbury Plains. They would train here over the next several months, during which time they were also given leave to see the sights of England.

Alan was officially taken on strength of the 44th Battalion from the reinforcements on the 8th November 1916.

Just a few weeks later the 44^th Battalion left England, as on the 25^th November 1916 they arrived at Southampton and boarded a transport ship which took them across to France. They then took up their first position on the Western Front in the Armentieres sector. Alan had a few months in this sector with the 44^th Battalion as they became accustomed to life on the Western Front. In late March 1917 the 44^th Battalion, as part of the 3^rd Division, were transferred north to Belgium where they took up positions in the Ploegsteert sector.

The 3^rd Division would soon be involved in the planned assault at Messines which was scheduled for June 7^th 1917. However there was much preparation to be done before the attack could proceed and the 3^rd Division, including the 44th Battalion, undertook many trench raids on the German units opposite them.

On the 7th June 1917 the Messines action commenced, and the Australians took their objectives. The 44th Battalion came into action the following day with the aim of capturing the German reserve positions.  Alan was wounded on the 8th June when shrapnel hit him in the foot.

After treatment at the Field Ambulance and Casualty Clearing Station, Alan was sent to the French town of Rouen where he was admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital. He had a few days here but on the 14th June 1917 was transferred to England.

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Richmond Military Hospital where he would remain for several weeks. The wound to his foot was severe and Alan was marked as medically unfit for further service. On the 10th August 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He spent just six days there and was then transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.

Alan would now wait here until he was assigned a berth on a ship home. On the 26th September 1917 Alan boarded the ship Suevic, (the very ship that brought him to the war) and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 12th November 1917.

After being disembarked Alan was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle. He was given a full medical examination and was then discharged from the AIF on the 8th December 1917.

Alan then returned to Guildford and resumed his career as a brick maker. However he then was employed by the WA Government Railways, being based for a while in the country areas of Baladjie and Williams.

Alan was married in 1930 to Catherine Beatrice McAdie and they would have two sons, Harold and Max.

In 1931 the family was living at Yilgarn  where Alan was working as a repairer.

Sadly it appears ill health came about and Alan was sent to hospital. He died 5th January 1936 aged 44 at Bassendean and his body had been found in the Swan River. It was reported that there were no suspicious circumstances.

Alan was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Presbyterian HA 0364.