Congues, Alexander Joseph (444)

Place of Birth: Port Melbourne, VIC

Age: 21 years

Enlistment Details: Friday, 22 October 1915 – Port Melbourne, VIC

Service Number: 444            view online service record

Address:
34 Cruikshank Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Next of Kin:
John Peter Congues (father)
34 Cruikshank Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Embarkation Details:
Date: Tuesday, 18 January 1916
Ship: HMAT Vestalia A44
Port: Melbourne, VIC
Unit: Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train – 8th Reinforcements

Fate:
RTA: Tuesday, 29 May 1917
Discharged: Sunday, 22 July 1917

Brothers: Jack Congues, Albert Congues and Leo Congues

Private, Naval Bridging Train, died 19 April, 1919, Exhibition Buildings, aged 25.

Parents: John Peter and Mrs Fanny CONGUES, born Port Melbourne. He enlisted as a merchant seaman with his father at 34 Cruikshank Street. A debatable conclusion – he was invalided back to Australia from Egypt in May, 1917 with syphilis and discharged before dying of influenza in the Emergency Hospital at the Exhibition Buildings, 19 April, 1919. A report in the Port Melbourne Standard, 29 November, 1919 on the unveiling of a Honour Board of a social group called the White Hand Club included his name with a note that he had died on return. There is no mention of his death in National Archives, but it appears he had served with the Royal Australian Naval Reserve from August, 1914 to March, 1915 in New Guinea before enlisting in the A.I.F. Brothers, 3083, John William Vincent CONGUES (MM), Albert Raymond CONGUES (Naval Reserve) and (Depot) Leo Maris CONGUES enlisted from Cruikshank Street, the latter just three weeks before the cessation of hostilities.

Alex is listed among the Naval contribution to the Expeditionary Force that sailed for Rabaul in, what was then, German New Guinea, in September 1914.

1914 ‘GERMAN NEW GUINEA.’, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 14 September, p. 7. , viewed 07 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10806307

1915 ‘CORRESPONDENCE.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 24 July, p. 3, viewed 1 July, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91166299

A Congues was listed on the Swimming Club Roll of Honour, 25 November 1916. Alexander’s brother Albert also served during WWI and may have been the person included in the Swimming Club roll but Alexander is considered more likely to be the club member as Albert joined the navy as a 16 year old in 1912, although it is probable that all four Congues brothers were members of the Swimming Club.

1916 ‘ROLL OF HONOR.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 25 November, p. 2. , viewed 04 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91164781