BANNISTER, Alfred James

Alfred was born at Swan Hill on 15 June 1892. His father George fathered six sons and two daughters.

Little is know of his childhood but he was in Melbourne in 1913 when he was listed on the Electoral Roll living in South Melbourne.

He enlisted on 12 July 1915 at Melbourne as a private and was allocated to the 22nd Batt 9th reinforcements. He was 5'7'', single  and listed his occupation as labourer. He spent time at Broadmeadows and embarked overseas on 8 Feb 1916.

His service record indicates a number of charges and his total charge sheet is listed below. The charges range from being absent without leave, stealing rations, resisting arrest, striking MP, abusive language.

He was in France when he was wounded in action on 19 July 1917. He suffered a gun shot wound to his left forearm and was shipped back to the UK to the Tunbridge Wells General Hospital. He did not go back to France, but was involved in a major fight with Military Police in December 1916 and was given a three months detention charge.

Due to his wound he was returned to Australia on 13 Feb 1917 on the HT Ulysses. His service record lists that he was discharged on 25 May 1917 as medically unfit.

He appears to have had difficulty returning to normal life in Melbourne, he was living at Gordon House in Little Bourke street in 1919 and was charged with stealing in 1927 and given 14 days jail plus an additional month for loitering with intent. He appears to have had a problem with liquor as he was given a supended sentence to refrain from drinking for three months.

In 1935 he was living at the Cheltenham Home for the Aged and Infirm.

In 1940 he was in residence at Geelong Jail.

He died at Albert Park in 1953, aged 63.