The AIF Project

Alfred William SALTER

Regimental number301
Place of birthThomas Street, Windsor, Melbourne, Victoria
SchoolHigh Street State School, Prahran, Victoria
ReligionBaptist
OccupationMilk driver
Address1 Kent Street, Windsor, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 8"
Weight149 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Josephine Salter, 1 Kent Street, Windsor, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date18 August 1914
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name5th Battalion, E Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/22/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A3 Orvieto on 21 October 1914
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll5th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 25 April 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Age at death21.6
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 25), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
45
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Charles and Josephine SALTER, 1 Kent Street, Windsor, Victoria
Family/military connectionsBrothers: 1065 Pte Arthur George SALTER, 5th Bn, returned to Australia, 11 April 1916; 339 Lance Corporal Roy Stuart SALTER, 5th Bn, killed in action, 19 July 1916.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915.

Reported missing in action, 25 April 1915.

Statement, 1743 Pte W.D. EDWARDS, C Company, 5th Bn (patient, 26th General Hospital, Etaples, France), 9 June 1916: 'Witness said he saw Salter in No. 2 Sta. Hospital, Lemnos, in Sept. 1915. Witness knows that Salter's brother is with the Bn. now and he was not confusing the two men. Salter was described as of medium height and dark complexion. Witness did not know what was wrong with him. Evidence did not appear very reliable.'

Court of Enquiry, held in France, 3 November 1916, concluded that Salter was killed in action, 25 April 1915.

Base Records wrote to mother, 6 December 1916, stating that it was not possible to issue a formal death certificate, but that given several statements by members of the same unit, including 122 Pte D. MORROW, 5th Bn (patient, Ghzireh Hospital, Egypt): 'Informant knew Salter well. He landed in the same boat with him on april 25th, but lost sight of hi, and has never seen him since.'; the length of time since he was reported missing; and the fact that his name had not appeared on any list of prisoners of war, 'the Military Board is regretfully constrained to conclude that this soldier is dead, and that death occurred on or about the 25th April 1915.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, SALTER Alfred William
Red Cross Files Nos 2850408R and 24008041

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