The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2124) Private Arthur Richard Alphey, 57th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (2124) Private Arthur Richard Alphey, 57th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2124 Private Arthur Richard Alphey, 57th Battalion, AIF
KIA 25 September 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 17 November 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Arthur Richard Alphey.

Arthur Alphey was born on 9 February 1889 in Yarraville, Victoria, to George Alphey and his wife, Mary Jane. His father was a native of the Deniliquin district, and although his family was largely raised in Melbourne he continued to have business interests in and around Deniliquin.

Alphey became a painter and lived in Cranbourne. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in May 1916, and some months later he married Margaret May Sullivan in Narrandera, New South Wales. The pair would spend very little time together as man and wife before Alphey left Australia for service overseas.

Private Alphey was posted to the 57th Battalion and left Australia on 1 August 1916. After a period of training in England, he joined his battalion in France that December. Neither crimes nor commendations were noted on his record. Instead, Alphey was one of thousands of Australian soldiers who served their country quietly, without praise or censure.

In June 1917 Alphey became ill and was sent to hospital. He rejoined his battalion shortly afterwards, and would remain with them until his death.

In late September 1917 the 57th Battalion prepared to participate in an operation that would become known as the battle of Polygon Wood. They undertook extensive training, in and out of gas masks, to prepare for the event. On 24 September the battalion moved forward to Zouave Wood, on the south side of the Menin Road at Hooge. The following day they came under heavy shell-fire, and a party was detailed to carry supplies forward to Glencorse Wood. The battalion then advanced in final preparation for that night’s attack.

At some point during this day Private Arthur Alphey was killed. Records do not indicate whether it happened under the artillery barrage or if he was part of the carrying party that took supplies forward under the dangerous conditions. His body was never identified, and he is now commemorated on the Menin Gate’s memorial to the missing at Ypres.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Arthur Richard Alphey, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section