Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Pope

Service number SX2930
Birth Date 1903-11-10
Birth Place United Kingdom: England, Hertfordshire, St Albans
Death Date 1975-04-13
Final Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Service Australian Army
Unit 27th Australian Infantry Battalion
Place St Albans
Conflict/Operation Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1947-03-06
Published in London Gazette in 1947-03-06

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    27th Australian Infantry Battalion
    Conflict
    Second World War, 1939-1945
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    06 March 1947 on page 1089 at position 32
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 March 1947 on page 748 at position 23

Timeline

Date of birth 10 November 1903
Date commissioned 01 July 1923
Interwar Service 2 01 July 1923 lieutenant 43rd battalion
Interwar Service 3 06 January 1926 captain
Interwar Service 4 01 December 1936 major
Career summary 2 01 March 1940 lieutenant colonel commanding officer 43rd battalion
Appointment 1940-03-01 - 1940-05-01 Battalion: 43rd; Rank on appointment: lieutenant colonel; Appointed from: 43rd battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: voluntary demotion: major Australian Imperial Force battalion
Career summary 3 01 May 1940 seconded 2/27th battalion as major
Career summary 4 24 November 1940 arrived Middle East
Career summary 5 25 May 1941 seconded as commanding officer 21st Australian infantry training battalion
Career summary 6 1941-06-20 - 1941-09-23 attached7th Australian infantry training Brigade
Career summary 7 1941-10-20 - 1941-12-13 course Middle East Tactical School (senior Offr) (qualif
Career summary 8 18 December 1941 relinquished command 21st Australian infantry training battalion & returned to unit
Career summary 9 25 March 1942 Returned to Australia 4 MD
Career summary 10 14 April 1942 temporary lieutenant colonel, commanding officer 27th battalion
Appointment 1942-04-14 - 1945-10-22 Battalion: 27th; Rank on appointment: lieutenant colonel; Appointed from: 2/27th battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: demobilised
Career summary 11 01 September 1942 lieutenant colonel
Career summary 12 08 October 1942 ED
Career summary 13 1943-08-16 - 1943-09-26 course Land Headquarters Tactical School (Snt O
Career summary 14 27 May 1944 arrived Lae
Career summary 15 1944-12-10 - 1945-01-28 attached Headquarters 23rd Brigade
Career summary 17 20 March 1945 HOSP (ganglion lf wrist) 6
Career summary 18 29 March 1945 arrived Lae
Career summary 19 30 March 1945 arrived Bougainville
Citations 2 30 September 1945 PERIOD 1.4.45 to
Career summary 20 11 October 1945 Returned to Australia (Cairns) ex Bougainville
Career summary 22 21 November 1945 Reserve of Officers
Career summary 23 05 May 1947 Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Date of death 13 April 1975
Career summary 1 major 43rd battalion
Career summary 16 Returned to Australia (Townsville ) ex Green Is 3 Feb 45 (leave)
Career summary 21 relinquished command 27th battalion 22 Oct 45 demobilised
Citations 3 This recommendation for award is in recognition of his devotion to duty and his skilful and unremitting efforts in training his battalion and maintaining its morale at an exceptionally high standard. His sound judgement and tactical skill were well demonstrated firstly on the NUMA NUMA TRAIL and subsequently at RATSUA, BONIS PENINSULA. The aggressive actions of his patrols covering from PEARL RIDGE to the EAST coast and from SISIVIE and TOKUA to the NUMA TRAIL , wrought havoc on the Jap L of C and accounted for 122 enemy killed and 4 of his own. Later at RATSUA he wrested the initiative from the enemy by his relentless attack on Jap patrols and their patrol bases.
Citations 4 Again his ratio of casualties lay much in his favour. His battalion killed 166 Japs for 18 of our own. To Lt-Col. POPE goes the credit of the very satisfactory successes of his Battalion. Lt-Col. POPE joined the AIF as a Major in 2/27 Inf Bn on 1/5/40. He served in the Middle East.'
Citations 5 Recom by A.W Potts, Comd 23rd Inf Bde
Interwar Service 1 OR service?
WW2 Service 1 New Guinea
WW2 Service 2 Bougainville