Alfred James Christmass

He served in the military Service Number - W27563 in Swanbourne, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Place of enlistment - SWANBOURNE WA.

WW1 service - enlisted 28 February 1916, regimental number 5352. Embarked from Fremantle on 17 April 1916 aboard the HMAT A60 Aeneas as a private with the 16th Battalion. Served on the Western Front and returned to Australia on 3 March 1919. Received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

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While a POW in Germany Alf worked on a family farm who were very good to him. He told his family that the German soldiers often came and took most of their crop of potatoes for troop supplies. Later he helped the family to build a hidden cellar in their barn floor, in this they kept the best potatoes for themselves. Most produce was taken and families often were left to struggle with no income. The family treated Alf very well and he often received/sent letters and cards from them after he returned to his Northam farm life. Alfred survived 2 wars but died clearing land under the service resettlement scheme for returned servicemen in 1952, his neck was broken by a falling tree branch while lifting machinery onto a truck.