Rotheram, A J

A J Rotheram is listed on the Sandridge Marine Lodge Roll of Honour.

This is probably Alfred James Rotheram (1509) who enlisted in Melbourne on 19 October 1914, aged 37. Alfred was born in Liverpool, England and gave his brother, Fred, in Birkenhead as next of kin.

Alfred sailed for the front from Melbourne onboard HMAT Berrima A35 on 22 December 1914. He was wounded a gun shot wound to his left arm in 1915. After initially being ruled ‘unfit for service’ on further assessment he was judged apparently fit and returned to his unit.

By November 1917, Alfred, was permanently unfit for general service and was discharged from the AIF in London, effective 14 November 1917, to take up employment as an Australian Munition Worker.

Alfred returned to Melbourne after the war and by 1930 was living at 53 Bealiba Road, Caulfield presumably with his wife, Maude. The family may have gone by the name Rotherham by this stage as Maude witnessed the receipt of Alfred’s war service medals using that surname.

In April 1967, Alfred’s son, Edward Russell Rotherham applied to the military authorities for his father’s Anzac Medal. In the application he noted Alfred’s surname as Rotheram as far as his war service was concerned but stated that Alfred James Rotherham died at Caulfield Repatriation Hospital on 24 December 1933.