Alan Clift

I am researching the life of my maternal grandfather's brother, Walter Alan Clift. He was born in Southampton, England in 1898, and moved to Jersey with his family.

He was active in the 1914-1918 war, and then left the U.K., together with his wife Stella Sabina, on the 25/8/1921 aboard the SS Berrima.

The next thing I know is that he enlisted in Paddington. NSW, his service number being.NX24101. He gave his birth year as 1900!

He was captured in Singapore and spent years in captivity possibly first in Changi, and later Thailand. He then retuned to Australia, I believe, and afterwards to England where he lived with Stella till they both died.

I can see there is some material concerning him in a file and wonder how I could go about getting a copy of this and also what other resources I could explore to find out about his time in Australia and as a POW.

Any advice is greatly welcomed!

Comment by Sylvia on November 28, 2019 at 1:10: Have you got his Red Cross "Missing, Wounded and Prisoner of War Enquiry Card" yet?:

https://gallery.its.unimelb.edu.au/imu/imu.php?request=multimedia&a...

Comment by Bertrand Pilz on November 28, 2019 at 2:21: Many thanks, Sylvia, will get on to that.

Comment by Elizabeth Allen on November 28, 2019 at 10:02: Bertrand, If you go to Record Search & type in his name - click on the record you need and there yhou can request a copy of his file (there is a fee involved)

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScr...

Elizabeth

Comment by Elizabeth Allen on November 28, 2019 at 10:04: Bertrand, His nominal roll record for WW2

http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=14...

Elizabeth

Comment by Elizabeth Allen on November 28, 2019 at 14:37: Bertrand, Walter Alan CLIFT shows up in the electoral rolls living in Echuca area in the state of Victoria from 1924 & 1925 and also shows in the Riverina electorate in New South Wales from 1932 to 1937

If you need the addresses/occupations & who is listed living with him, let me know

I am assuming both of these are him and not a son with the same name?

Elizabeth

Comment by Bertrand Pilz on November 28, 2019 at 22:37: Hi Elizabeth

Many thanks for passing on this information. It would be interesting to find out about Alan and Stella's life before the war, so yes, if not too much troubble could you let me know adresseses, occuptions, etc. I understood he was in farming, but had no children.

Bertrand

Comment by Elizabeth Allen on November 28, 2019 at 23:06: Bertrand, I will get back to you with the electoral roll information tomorrow - also found a record for him on the Australian War Memorial - Honours & Awards

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1517726/

Elizabeth

Comment by Elizabeth Allen on November 28, 2019 at 23:14: Bertrand, a bit more which may be of interest if you havn't seen it already

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136898975?

link to trove article about Walter

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30271/supplement/9253/dat...

he is mentioned here as well in WW1 records

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30271/supplement/9253/data.pdf

Comment by Bertrand Pilz on November 28, 2019 at 23:39: Hi Elizabeth

Again, many thanks for the information you have uearthed. I did know he was awaded the Military Medal in WW1,

Comment by Elizabeth Allen on November 29, 2019 at 9:43: Bertrand, I asked a colleague to check the electoral rolls for you - this is her reply with a few extra bits

Electoral Rolls - Victoria

1924/1925 Shepparton
Echuca

Walter Alan Clift at
Ellangowan – Kialla East a farm hand – No Stella with him

Stella’s at
“Claremont” Beaconsfield h/d

-------------

Electoral Rolls - New South Wales

1930 Hillston
Riverina

Walter Allan Clift –
Emu Park Goolgowi farmer with Stella Sabina Clift h/d.

-------------

1932/1934/1935/1936
- Carrathool Riverina

Walter Alan a farmer
with Stella Sabina h/d at Fair View Goolgowi

---------------------------
Walter Alan Clift
age 23 a farmer with Stella Sabina wife age 25 – home address La
Maisonette, Samares Jersey departed London 25 Aug 1921 for Melb on
ship “Berrima”

Walter married Stella S Hussey July qtr 1921 Kingsclere Hampshire

----------------

Walter was POW in Thailand May 6 1943

Stella returned to
Southampton UK 8 April 1937 on ship “Orion” and she died April
qtr 1971 Reading Berks age 75

Walter died 20 Dec
1971 Reading Berks.

Alan Clift

You need to be a member of RecordSearch Forum to add comments!