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Alexander SAWERS
| Rank | Reg/Ser No | DOB | Enlisted | Discharge/Death | Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pte | 1888 | 32y5m | 9 Oct 1915 | 13 Dec 1916 | 1 |
Alexander Stuart Sawers (1884 - 1962)
Alexander, the fourth child of Thomas and Stuart Sawers was born in Ipswich, Queensland on 16 April 1884.
The Sawers family
Thomas Sawers was born about 1853 in Barrhead, Renfrewshire in Scotland and Stuart Houston about 1852 in Glasgow. They were married in Dennistoun, Glasgow on 4 June 1875. They lived at Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Three children were born in Glasgow: John in 1876, Thomas in 1878, Agnes Bell in 1880; and Alexander Stuart in 1884 and Stuart Houston in 1887 in Queensland.
The family of Thomas, Stuart and their three children John (7), Thomas (5) and Agnes (2) arrived in Brisbane on 3 October 1883 on the 1210 ton Southesk with around 390 others after a voyage of three and a half months.
Alexander and Stuart both enlisted in the Great War.
Their parents were on the Saint Andrew's Communion Rolls for 1905, 1908, 1912, 1921 and 1923. The rolls are not available for later years. Stuart Houston was on the rolls for 1921 and 1923.
Enlistment and service
Alexander Sawers enlisted on 9 October 1915 in the 2nd Remount Unit. His Attestation papers showed that he had blue eyes, a fresh complexion and fair hair and the sentence about giving part of his pay to his wife and any children was crossed out, although he was unmarried at that time. His height was 165 cm and he weighed 61 kg.
He had served 3 years in the Field Artillery and he was employed as a labourer. Alexander sailed from Sydney on board the Orontes on 10 November 1915.
He was admitted to hospital at Suez on 23 December, discharged on 16 March and transferred to Maadi, rejoining his unit. He was with his Unit and marched into the camp at Moascar, Egypt on 10 October. On 17 October he was declared unfit and discharged to Australia per the Vestalia.
Post war
He married Dorothy Duckham on 6 November 1918. In 1925 they lived at Miriam Vale where his occupation was Dairy Assistant. Over the ensuing years they lived at Colosseum, Jambin and Goovigen always working in the dairy industry. He was living in Biloela in 1958. He died on 28 July 1962, and Dorothy died in 1966.
Compiled by Bob Warrick, Brisbane, November 2016 ©
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