3606 Private Alfred Jackson - 3rd Battalion Imperial Camel Corps
Alfred Jackson was born in Fremantle on the 4th October 1880 to John and Ellen Jackson. He had and elder brother Frederick born in 1877.
The family lived in Fremantle and Alfred was educated and had his early years in the port city. Sadly his father died when he was just seven years old, on the 12th May 1887 he was accidentally hit and killed by a train at Fremantle train station.
His mother then raised the kids but she died on the 17th January 1900. Alfred was apprenticed to a cigar maker firm Robert Dixon and Sons and was with them for seven years.
Alfred moved to Perth for a few years and in 1910 he married Ada Ellen Marsden and they took up residence in Hulbert Street South Fremantle.
They had a son Reginald born in 1910 but sadly he died in 1911. They then moved to George Street North Fremantle for a few years before returning to live at 17 Commercial Road South Fremantle. (Later renumbered to 3 Commercial).
On the 4th May 1917 Alfred enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 119lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoo of woman on right arm.
After his successful enlistment, Alfred was sent to Claremont Camp and after a few weeks in the depot training camp he was assigned to the Camel Corps reinforcements. Alfred had several weeks of training in WA and on the 30th June 1917 his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Port Lincoln and set sail for Egypt. They disembarked at Suez on the 6th August 1917.
Alfred would have nearly two months in the training camp in Egypt and on the 4th October 1917 he joined the 3rd Battalion Imperial Camel Corps. He had a bit of ill health after joining his unit so missed the operations around Beersheba in late October 1917 and Jerusalem in November 1917. Alfred rejoined his unit on the 13th December 1917 and served with his unit for the next few month including the capture of Jericho in January 1918.
On the 23rd February 1918 Alfred was evacuated ill with appendicitis. He was sent to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital for the first week, before being transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Port Said. He was senet between the 14th AGH and the rest camps through to July 1917.
His health was deemed bad enough to be returned to Australia. On the 12th July 1918 Alfred was sent to the hospital ship Port Darwin and began the journey back home. The official reason of being sent home was 'Debility'. He was disembarked in Sydney on the 17th August 1918 and then made his way back to WA.
Alfred was discharged from the AIF on the 12th September 1918.
After his return home he reunited with his wife, who in his absence had moved to DeLisle Street North Fremantle, though after his return they took up residence at 14 Church Street Fremantle and Alfred had found work locally as a fireman.
Alfred died at Hollywood Hospital in February 1950 aged 69 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery. His wife died on the 5th September 1951.
