The AIF Project

John Henry Alonza BLACK

Regimental number42
Place of birthPort Adelaide, South Australia
SchoolPublic School, South Australia
ReligionMethodist
OccupationLabourer
AddressHart Street, Glanville, South Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 8"
Weight142 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Mary Black, Hart Street, Glanville, South Australia
Previous military serviceNil (Exempt Area under Compulsory Military Training scheme)
Enlistment date1 July 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll28 June 1915
Place of enlistmentKeswick, South Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name32nd Battalion, B Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/49/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915
The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked.
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll32nd Battalion
FateKilled in Action 20 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFrance
Age at death18.6
Age at death from cemetery records18
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 4), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
119
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Mary BLACK, Port Wakefield, South Australia
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Adelaide, 18 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 18 December 1915.

Found guilty, Ferry Post, 12 May 1916, of being absent from CO's parade at 1600: admonished.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Reported missing, 20 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 12 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'KILLED IN ACTION, 20 July 1916'.

Note, Red Cross File No 400603: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills, 10.10.19.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, BLACK John Henry Alonza
Red Cross file 400603

Print format    


© The AIF Project 2024, UNSW Canberra. Not to be reproduced without permission.