Alfred Nicholas Uren 1193

SERGEANT ALFRED NICHOLAS UREN M.S.M.

1193 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

Alfred Nicholas Uren was born in Kapunda, South Australia on November 27, 1868 the son of Nicholas and Grace (nee Warren) Uren. He received his education at the Kapunda State School and served a four year apprenticeship as a carpenter with J. Burton of Windsor, S.A.

He went to the goldfields of Western Australia where he became a certified engine driver for mining. He married on May 22, 1894 at twenty-six years of age to Annie Gertrude Pennington in the Wesleyan Church, Southern Cross. Their marriage was announced in the:

He nominated for the vacancy on the Boulder Council which was advertised in the:

On the day of the polling all candidates were announced in the:

As a newly elected councillor the swearing-in ceremony was reported in the:

In 1903 he and his wife were residing at 1319 Salisbury Road, Kalgoorlie with his occupation as an amalgamator. He nominated as a candidate for the Senate and delivered lectures and wrote articles for newspapers (reproduced below) and all nominees for the election were listed in the:

In 1906 they were at the same residential address. In 1909 he wrote to the Perth newspaper and his letter was published as follows:

In 1913 they were registered living at 46 Victoria Street, Perth with his occupation as a carpenter. He was also an honorary scoutmaster. He is reported giving a lecture which was advertised in the:

He stated he had been rejected for active service on November 26, 1915 due to defective teeth.

At the recruiting depot in Perth on November 27, 1915 the forty-seven year old re-applied for active service and passed the medical examination for the Miners’ Corps. Attestation Forms were completed which describe the married mine carpenter as 168cms (5ft 6ins) tall, weighing 48kgs (106lbs) with a chest expansion of (31-33ins). Dark was his complexion with grey eyes and had brown hair. Distinctive marks were two vaccination scars on his right arm and a mole on the right side. Religious faith was Church of England. Next-of-kin nominated was his wife Annie Gertrude Uren of 40 Raglan Road, North Perth and allotted three-fifths of his pay in support of her and their children. Declared fit his application was accepted and he signed and took the ‘Oath of Enlistment’ the same day.

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps officially began on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Uren was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps that day.

The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company with a major portion of No. 3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose.

Acknowledgement to the departing volunteer was published in the:

The Corps were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.

On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. He was to be Provisional Corporal from that date for the voyage. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in:

The same day further acknowledgement was printed in the:

On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter.

Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. His rank was Sapper with the regimental number 1193 and remained in No. 3 Company. On December 29 was promoted to Corporal until January 15, 1916 then in Routine Orders No. 19 to be Sergeant from the following day.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board. On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

Meanwhile in Perth the parishioners of St Alban made acclaimed resolutions for their two volunteers of the congregation and published in the:

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

Four sections of the No. 3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training. The No. 3 Company was officially transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field on December 18, 1916.

The Sergeant’s service continued without illness or injury and his name appears in the list of Company Headquarters recorded in the Unit Diary of the 3rd Tunnelling Company as follows:

In an audit of the Company on August 30, 1917 he was noted to be with his Unit.

Three Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform on February 20, 1918 for serving two years abroad.

On April 26, 1918 he was reported to be still with his Unit in an audit of the Company.

Sergeant Uren was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal which was granted in the King’s Birthday Honours List and recorded in the Unit Diary as follows:

Sergeant Uren was critically wounded at Noeux-les-Mines on August 11, 1918 receiving bomb fragment wounds to his head, legs, arm and side and taken to the 39th Field Ambulance then transferred to the 22nd Casualty Clearing Station but died at 3.30am on admission. He was 49 years of age.

The incident was reported in the Unit Diary of the 3rd Tunnelling Company as follows:

Burial took place in Pernes British Cemetery officiated by Rev. J.J. Griffin who was attached to the 22nd Casualty Clearing Station.

The 5th Military District was advised of his demise on August 19, 1918 by Base Records who confirmed the cabled message was received on August 21 and his wife also notified.

This news was published in the:

The copy of his Will from the Estates Branch of Administration Headquarters in London was certified a true copy from his pay book on August 26, 1918.

On August 27, 1918 Mrs Uren wrote to Base Records requesting as early as possible the Official Certificate of Death to enable her to obtain Administration of his affairs. She also pointed out in the official notice she received that it stated her husband was Corporal A.N. Uren, noting that he was a Sergeant.

A copy of his War Service was made for the War Pension Department on August 29, 1918.

Further tributes were place by his family in the:

His name was listed among the casualties appearing in the list published in the:

Further tributes were printed in the:

Mrs Uren received a reply from Base Records dated September 9, 1918 advising that the necessary official documents of confirmation covering his death reports had not been received from abroad but compliance had been noted and completed at their earliest possible date.

The writer stated the soldier embarked as a Sergeant but the cable notification stated Corporal. However later official documents coming to hand by mail will give further particulars as to his rank and any adjustments would then be made.

Base Records forwarded to his wife on November 22, 1918 the extract that appeared in the Third Supplement of the London Gazette on June 17, 1918 relating to the conspicuous services rendered by her husband the late Corporal 1193 A.N. Uren. It reads:

They also advised that his extract had been promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette no. 173 on November 7, 1918.

The official Report of Death Certificate was issued on November 11, 1918 to both his widow and the Mutual Life and Citizens’ Insurance Company Ltd who put in a request on September 26.

News reached his relatives in Adelaide, S.A. and was published in the:

The Military Pension Department advised re Bank on December 21, 1918 and two days later the Copy of his Will was noted.

On January 26, 1919 Mrs Uren wrote to Base Records asking for any information regarding her husband as it had been five months since she received notification and thought it not too much to ask to have the matter a finality.

Base Records replied on February 4, 1919 that no personal effects of her husband had been returned to their office to date, but anything that came to hand would be transmitted in accordance with the terms of his Will. The late soldier made a statement to the effect that his Will was lodged with her and would be much obliged if she would forward same, or if Probate had been taken out to their office at her earliest convenience, so that provisions could be noted for compliance when dealing with deceased’s affairs. If Probate or Letters of Administration had not been taken out and the Will is not required for this or any other purpose in connection with the distribution of the estate it would be held as his authority for the payment of monies. Should it be required by her for further action it would be returned after notation.

The Deceased Soldiers’ Section at Base Records received a letter dated February 5, 1919 from the Paymaster 2nd Military District requesting the District of enlistment of the late soldier.

They advised that a non-effective statement of his account had been received from London which stated he embarked as a Sergeant on 20/2/16, died on wounds on 11/8/18 and left an allotment of 7/6 per diem. His paybook number was given as 219884.

Probate was granted and listed in the:

The Medals Section of Base Records wrote to Mrs Uren on May 2, 1919 as they were in receipt of the Meritorious Service Medal awarded to her husband and would be glad to hear of her desire to have this presented publicly on the first suitable occasion or prefer it to be transmitted directly from their office.

On May 12, 1919 Base Records wrote to Mrs Uren referring to their letter of August 27th last requesting if Letters of Administration for the estate of her husband had yet been granted and if so kindly forward the document to their office for notation when it will be passed to the District Paymaster, Defence Department, Perth in order that the deceased’s military financial affairs and package of personal effects, now to hand, could be dealt with according to his testamentary instructions.

Mrs Uren replied on May 16, 1919 to Base Records about the M.S.M. Medal and for the sake of her children she would like it handed to her publicly. She advised that the Tunnellers were having a reunion social on June 4 and the lady workers in the T.C.F. [Tunnellers Comfort Fund] would like the presentation for that night if possible.

Base Records forwarded the Medal with accompanying letter dated May 30, 1919 under registered post stating that the Minister desires it to be presented publicly in accordance as far as possible with the wishes of those concerned. Mrs Uren had requested this publicly.

On June 3, 1919 the Medals Section advised Mrs Uren of receipt of her letter dated May 16 and that the medal had been transmitted to the Military Commandant, 5th Military District, Perth who will arrange for the presentation in accordance, as far as possible with her wishes.

A copy of his Will extract from Probate was noted to be in his file on June 6, 1919.

The Kit Store in London had packaged her husband’s personal effects received on October 22, 1918 from the front and their Inventory stated the following items:

Photos, Cards, Wallet, Purse, 1 Rosary, 1 Religious book, YMCA Wallet, 1 Pearl Cross,

Religious Cards, Medal ribbon and 2 coins.

The package was despatched on the transport Somerset to Base Records and forwarded to his widow on June 14, 1919 by parcel post. Receipt for Consignment was signed and dated by Mrs Uren on June 23, 1919. The next day she wrote to Base Records enclosing their printed receipt for the small package of her husband’s personal effects. She would like to say she felt very disappointed so few things were returned. She pointed out that her late husband was taken from his bed in his pyjamas and everything would be in the room he occupied. She would very much have like his watch given to him by his Sunday school scholars, his C.E.M.S. Cross, a prayer book that he took from home and a diary he was keeping. If it not too late if you could make enquiries for her.

Base Records wrote on July 4, 1919 to the Commandant 5th Military District to see if the Meritorious Service Medal belonging to Corporal Uren arrived safely to hand. This was acknowledged on July 12 and the officer regretted the delay.

The reply from Base Records to Mrs Uren dated July 6, 1919 advised that to hand only those items despatched to her on June 17, 1919 had been received to their office to date. It did not necessarily follow that this includes the whole of the soldier’s effects as on several occasions more than one package had been received in connection with the same A.I.F. member.

In the event of articles mentioned coming to hand later they would be promptly transmitted to her.

Advance notice of Medal decorations to be presented the following day was advertised in the:

In the After War Report on the 3rd Tunnelling Company Sergeant Uren was mentioned in the following lists:

On October 10, 1919 Base Records wrote to Mrs Uren on the regrettable loss of her husband and were now in receipt of advice which showed that he was wounded in action on 11/8/18 and succumb to his wounds (bomb wound head, legs and arm) at 3.30a.m. the same day on admission to the 22nd Casualty Clearing Station.

He was buried in Pernes British Military Cemetery, 7½ miles north, north-east of St Pol. They advised that the utmost care and attention was devoted to fallen soldier’s graves and photographs were being taken as soon as possible for transmission to next-of-kin. These additional details were furnished by direction being the policy of the Department to forward all information in connection with deaths of members of the A.I.F.

The Circular and Booklet re Graves was dispatched on December 12, 1919 to his widow. This was received and acknowledge by printed card on August 17, 1920.

Photos of his grave in duplicate were forwarded to his widow from Base Records on March 1, 1920.

On April 9, 1920 Mrs Uren wrote after receiving two copies of photographs of her husband’s grave and requested after seeing in the March 22 edition of a paper where more copies could be obtained at the rate of 3 pence each by applying to their office. She enclosed a postal note for three shillings for one dozen copies. Formal acknowledgement was sent back on April 21, 1920.

The ceremony for King’s Park was advertised in the: