Not Forgotten, 4049 Private Alfred DRANE, 32 Battalion AIF, World War 1

Private Alfred Drane, a labourer from Nimberrin in Baandee, was the son of Moses and Emily Drane of Little Barfield near Essex in England. On 15 April 1916 Private Drane enlisted at the age of 23 in Perth , having previously served with the 5th Essex Territorials, and was placed in the 32nd Battalion, 10th Reinforcements. Private Drane embarked from Fremantle on H.M.A.T. A16 Port Melbourne on 28 October 1916, arriving in England on 28 December and passing through Hurdcott Camp. He continued to France on 21 March 1917 and after a further infantry training course and leave in the United Kingdom in later February 1918, rejoined the 32nd Battalion.
The 32nd Battalion was raised as part of the 8th Brigade at Mitcham, on the outskirts of Adelaide, on 9 August 1915. Only two companies were raised from South Australian enlistees - another two were formed in Western Australia and joined the battalion at the end of September. The 8th Brigade joined the newly raised 5th Australian Division in Egypt, and proceeded to France, destined for the Western Front, in June 1916. The 32nd Battalion fought its first major battle at Fromelles on 19 July 1916, where it lost close to 90 per cent of its fighting strength.
In early 1917, the German Army withdrew to the Hindenburg Line allowing the British front to be advanced and the 32nd Battalion participated in the follow-up operations. The battalion subsequently missed the heavy fighting to breach the Hindenburg Line during the second battle of Bullecourt as the 8th Brigade was deployed to protect the division’s flank. The only large battle in 1917 in which the 32nd Battalion played a major role was Polygon Wood, fought in the Ypres sector in Belgium on 26 September.
After the German advance stalled in early 1918 the 32nd Battalion was involved in a series of minor advances along the Bray-Corbie Road throughout July, taking part in operations around Morlancourt and the Morcourt Valley as the Allies sought to regain the initiative. Alfred Drane was wounded by shrapnel in his right leg whilst in action on 29 July 1918 and died of his wounds the same day. In the Red Cross file there are witness recounts of his wounding. He is described as short and boyish, as a batman to an officer in No. 3 platoon. He was hit by a piece of shell about 15 minutes after “hop over”, going over the top of the trench, about 11pm or midnight.
Alfred Drane was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Alfred Drane was buried in Méricourt L’Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension.