Alfred was born at Bacchus Marsh, VIC to Alfred Slack and Margaret Lindsay.

KIA

Alfred was a farmer at Bacchus Marsh, VIC when he enlisted in the AIF on the 20^th of April 1916, aged almost 22 - he had previously been rejected due to his teeth and was currently serving with the Citizens Forces. He was allocated first to the 37^th Battalion then the 3^rd Pioneers before finally allocated to the 4^th Reinforcements, 2^nd Pioneer Battalion and embarking aboard the HMAT A32 Themistocles in late July, disembarking at Plymouth, England in September.

In late November 1916 Alfred joined his unit in France. On the 1^st of March 1917, during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line Alfred was killed in action. He was buried to the right of Albert - Bapaume Rd just beyond Cross Rd leading to Courcelette, (going towards Le Sars) ¼ mile east of of Courcelette, 5¾ miles north-east of Albert. He was later exhumed and reinterred at Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, Peronne, France.

He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour and the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour.

Notes

1. Pioneer battalions differed from normal infantry in that they would be composed of a mixture of men who were experienced with picks and shovels and some who had skilled trades . A Pioneer battalion would also carry a range of technical stores that infantry would not.