Sapper Alfred Stephens

SAPPER ALFRED STEPHENS 7588 – Tunnelling Reinforcements

Alfred Stephens stated he was born in Stratford, Victoria in 1892. Being part aboriginal it is possible his heritage is with the Brayakooloong people as part of the Gunaikunai nation and therefore his early years were on Ramahyuck Mission Station on the Avon River near Stratford before moving to Lake Tyers. His wife’s name was Eveline (surname unknown).

When aged about twenty-three years the following occurred and was reported in the:

Dimboola Banner and Wimmera and Mallee Advertiser Friday November 5, 1915: SEQUEL TO THE REGATTA HALF-CASTE STRANGER FINED At Dimboola Police station, on Monday, Alfred Stephens, a powerfully-built young half-caste, said to hale from Lake Tyers, Gippsland, was brought up on custody before Mr W. Avery, J.P., and charged with insulting behaviour in a public place—to wit, Antwerp recreation-ground—with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, on Saturday, October 30. The accused pleaded guilty. Mounted-Constable Lloyd stated that whilst he was on duty at Antwerp regatta at about 6 p.m. a fight occurred between the accused and another blackfellow, in front of the publican’s booth. Witness and Constable Wilson, of Jesparit, separated them, but the accused continued to be so violent that they had to handcuff him to a tree. As he persisted in being abusive, witness decided that the best thing to do with him was to lock him up, and he was brought in to the lock-up at Dimboola. Witness had warned the accused several times during the day of his objectionable conduct. There were women and children in the vicinity where the fight occurred. The witness added that every year the blacks seemed to flock to Antwerp regatta, and were always a source of annoyance. The accused was one of the ringleaders in the disturbance of this occasion. The accused had nothing to say in mitigation of his offence, except that the drink had overcome him, and he asserted that he would not take any in future. Mr Avery said that order must be preserved on such occasions, and if a man would drink and act like the accused had done he must put up with the consequences. He (Mr Avery) was afraid that it was not the first time that the accused had acted in this way. If he were fined, could he pay? The accused said that he would require time to procure the money. Mr Avery said that that was no good. He would be fined £2, and if the money were not paid at once he would have to undergo forty-eight hours detention in the local lock-up. As the accused was unable to pay, he was removed to do the imprisonment.

About eighteen months later at Hamilton, Vic on June 20, 1917 the twenty-five year old labourer applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the medical examination the next day Attestation forms were completed which describe him as 183cms (5ft 8ins) tall, weighing 63.3kgs (140lbs) with a chest expansion of 86-94cms (34-37ins). Complexion was coloured with good vision in his brown eyes and black hair. Church of England was his religious faith. Distinctive marks were four vaccination scars on his left arm. Next-of-kin was his wife Eveline Stephens of Carmichael Street, Hamilton, Vic and allotted two-fifths of his pay in support of her. He was sworn in the same day.

Entering the recruiting depot at Broadmeadows on July 10, 1917 joined recruits in camp for basic training two days later and after his first week was assessed to be a good recruit and very attentive after eight days instruction. Five days later on July 27 following another week of training further assessment by the officer noted him as a ‘good recruit – smart man.’ Therefore on July 30 he was transferred to the Miners’ training camp at Seymour, Vic for further instruction with ‘A Company’, April Reinforcements to Tunnelling Companies, 1917. His regimental number was 7588 in the rank of Sapper.

On August 24 he was taken to the No. 5 Aust General Hospital for medical treatment on his left knee.

Medical History during his stay as a patient there was noted as ‘for enlarged glands of sub-axillary region.’ Major Russell, officer commanding the Clearing Hospital, Bendigo, Vic, reported on his hospital discharge on August 31, 1917 – ‘no necessity for surgical interference.’ Sapper returned to Shifting camp at Bendigo reporting to the Staff Officer for Invalids before going back to Seymour the same day. Returning to the military hospital at Bendigo he appeared before the medical board on September 12, 1917 and his statement of case reported:

Disability: Weak left knee joint (Synovitis) [tissue lining lubricates of certain joints during movement becomes inflamed] Date of disability: January, 1917 Place of disability: Wimmera Essential facts: While carrying a bag of wheat he fell and hurt his knee. The joint swelled up. He was incapacitated for six weeks. O.C. has paraded him for continued falling out from drill. Cause of disability: Accident Present condition: Left knee joint is markedly swollen with supra-patella [kneecap] prusitis [bursitis – painful inflammation of bursa, abnormal accumulation of fluid in bursal sac.] He stands in a position with knee slightly flexed. Recommendation: Discharge as permanently unfit Pathological condition: Chronic synovitis left knee Minimum duration: Permanent for military service Discharge: Yes permanently unfit for service Fit to earn a living: Yes Confirmed: Major H. Glover A.A.M.C. 19/9/17

Military discharge was issued in Bendigo, Vic on September 25, 1917 after ninety-eight days service as being medically unfit and not due to misconduct. His character was rated as good. His certificate was post-dated to 26/9/17 to enable him to reach his home in Hamilton, Vic.

All forms, conduct sheets and discharge papers were forwarded to Base Records from Bendigo camp the same day.

As Sapper Stephens did not embark from Australia he was ineligible for any Military Service Medals.

Footnote: Gunai / Kurnai or Gunaikurnai people were the first inhabitants of land around the Avon River, East Gippsland. The Brayakooloong people owned the current sites around Sale, Stratford, Avon and Latrobe Rivers, west of Lake Wellington to the Mounts of Baw Baw and Howitt. They were part of the five indigenous clans of the Gunaikurnai nation of South-East Australia. The Kurnai were a matriarchal society, meaning women were the administrators or organisers and men the custodians of the land, administered by the women. The nation was not on friendly terms with the Wurunderi and Bunurong nations. Many of the Gunai people resisted early European settlement during the 19th Century resulting in several brutal confrontations between the Europeans settlers or gold rush miners and the Gunai.

In 1863 Reverend Friederich Hagenauer established the Ramahyuck Mission on the bank of the Avon River, near Lake Wellington to house the Gunai survivors from West and Central Gippsland. The name Ramah combines the Hebrew word ‘home’ with ‘yuck’ the aboriginal meaning of ‘our’ to represent ‘our place.’ The Mission discouraged all tribal rituals and culture and replaced it with Christian values and European culture. Half-caste or non-aboriginal people were discouraged to mingle with full-blood aborigines and would walk a 15 kilometre trail to secretly meet aboriginal relatives and participate in cultural ceremonies.

Merle and Alick Jackamos record that: From 1906 many Ramahyuck people were shifted to Lake Tyers and Ramahyuck station closed fully in 1908 with the few remaining residents, some against their will, removed to Lake Tyers Mission. Sources: Aboriginal and Gunaikunai Culture / Bataluk Cultural Trail, Stratford, Victoria

There was an elderly aboriginal named Alfred Stephens in Bairnsdale district mentioned in Court in 1912. Father perhaps