Alfred Richard Little 1072

SAPPER ALFRED RICHARD LITTLE

1072 – Mining Corps

Alfred Richard Little was born in 1869 at Carrick, Tasmania the son of Francis and Elizabeth (nee Eaton) Little and registered at Port Sorrell.

In 1901 at about thirty-two years of age he enlisted for service in the Boer War and allotted to the Fourth Contingent, Second Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen. His service number was 189 with the No. 1 Company. The contingent embarked on March 27, 1901 and a day later the Officers and men were listed in the Roll that appeared in:

The Contingent returned on June 15, 1902 and their arrival was reported in the:

The following year he was presented with his medals for service and the ceremony was recorded in:

The following year he married at the Presbyterian Church in Devonport, Tasmania to Amy Merick Harrison on November 16, 1904.

In 1914 they are living at Waratah, Tasmania where he worked as a labourer.

Two officers were in the district recruiting for the Mining Corps in November, 1915 and at a meeting Alfred Little applied to enlist for active service. Acknowledgement to the volunteers was published in several newspapers:

Passing the preliminary medical examination personal particulars taken show the married miner gave his age as forty-years and living at Waratah. Attestation Forms were completed describing him further as 168cms (5ft 6ins) tall weighing 66kgs (147lbs), with a chest expansion of 89-95cms (35-37½ins). Complexion was fair with blue eyes that tested to good vision and had brown hair. Distinctive marks were a mole on the left side of his back with a birthmark on the right side. Tattoos were on the left anterior arm of the Australian Coat of Arms and Advance Australia. Religion was Church of England. Next-of-kin was his wife Amy Little of Ulverstone, Tas. He was sworn in at Ross on November 18, 1915. On November 23 he allotted one shilling and nine pence in support of his wife and daughter.

Training commenced at the Ross camp until the recruits were transferred to the Claremont camp a week later. Their movements were reported in the:

The members of the Mining Corps were transferred to their training camp at Casula, near Liverpool, New South Wales where he was assigned to the No.3 Company of the Corps in the rank of Sapper with the regimental number 1072.

He allotted four shillings of his pay in support of his wife and 11 year old dependant daughter on January 7 and was re-examined on January 18, 1916 by the Corps’ Medical Officer. On his embarkation on February 20, 1916 his allotment to his family was to be four shillings per 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.

The Ulysses left Melbourne on March 1, 1916 for Fremantle, Western Australia. Sapper Little did not embark on the transport and was marked ‘A.W.L. Failed to embark.’

A list of those who failed to re-embark in Melbourne was forwarded to Base Records dated March 9 and a Warrant for his arrest as a deserter was issued on March 16, 1916 and if apprehended was to be conveyed to Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.

The Paymaster in the 6th Military District was advised on May 1, 1916 confirming a telegram as follows:

“Ascertained ten seven two A.R. Little failed re embark you district Ulysses twentieth February sixteen Mining Corps Cancel allotment Wire amount paid and period covered also any further information available whereabouts and what unit now attached.”

An Urgent Telegram dated May 3, 1916 advised that allotment had been cancelled on 10/3/16 and Base Records advised A.W.L. from March 1, 1916. No trace of whereabouts.

As Sapper Little did not leave Australia he was ineligible for War Service Medals.

The following Report for the Port Pirie Court, South Australia was published in the:

One death is recorded registered in Adelaide, South Australia of Alfred Richard Little in 1959. Parentage information is undefined. If it is the same person he would have been 84 years of age.