Warrant Officer Class 1 Alfred Garnet Vinning

Alfred Garnet Vinning was born at Invercargill, New Zealand, on 22 January 1890 to Henry and Anne Agnes (née Stringer). He was working as a commercial traveller when he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 16 January 1915.

Alfred embarked from Melbourne with reinforcements attached to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column aboard HMAT Shropshire on 20 March 1915. Two weeks into the voyage, Alfred sang “The Rosary” at a concert held on board the vessel, with proceeds from the event donated to an aged seamen and widows fund in England.

After completing his overseas training in Egypt, Alfred arrived at Anzac Cove on 29 April 1915. The gunner was wounded in action during September, suffering a gunshot wound to his left leg and a subsequent case of sepsis that forced his evacuation to hospital in Cairo. He returned to duty in November 1915, but was largely assigned administrative duties for the remainder of his active service in Egypt and England.

Alfred was promoted to sergeant in December 1915, temporary staff sergeant in October 1916 and finally to warrant officer class 1 in June 1917. While serving in England, he married Mary Queeny Kowin on 5 June 1919 at the Church of Holy Apostles in London. The couple departed England on 26 October and disembarked at Melbourne on 6 December 1919.

Alfred and his new bride initially resided in Melbourne, but relocated to Sale in the Gippsland region of Victoria by the mid-1930s. It was here that Alfred once more enlisted for service in March 1942, on this occasion following in the footsteps of his two children, Howard and Pamela, who served during the Second World War with the AIF and the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force respectively.

Alfred Vinning died at Mount Lawley in Perth on 12 September 1966.