Ted was born c1890 at Lindock, South Australia, and in 1898 moved with his parents Arthur and Elizabeth Jane when he was aged about 8, to Western Australia.
His family were pioneers of the Toolbrunup area, and Ted had eight brothers and a sister. Alfred and his brothers named their property at Laje Toolbrunup "Clarenvale" The family had arrived in the Gnowangerup district bringing 40 bee hives from SA.
Alfred embarked from Fremantle on 22 February 1915 on the HMAT Itonius with the 11th Battalion 52nd Reinforcements 1st Division Depot Company, and was due to serve in the Gallipoli campaign.
He was at the time registered under the SERN (number) of 1303 but returned to Australia per the Ceramic with con orchitis (mumps) on 26 May 1915. He disembarked at Melbourne and spent from 26 of May until the 27th of July 1915 in the Langwarrin Isolation Camp.
It appears he was then transferred to other hospitals until he recovered, then sent to Seymour once he was pronounced ‘FIT FOR DUTY’. Alfred departed on 26 August 1915 from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Anchises. He was transferred to the 24th Battalion 3rd Reinforcements and issued the new number of 2027.
On 12 October he was taken on strength at Gallipoli. On 1 January 1916 he was admitted to hospital in Alexandria Egypt with bronchitis. Alfred’s mother may have expected the worst when she received a telegram on 17 January 1916. It read
“REGRET REPORTED SON PRIVATE ALFRED AYLMORE ADMITTED 15TH GENERAL HOSPITAL ALEXANDRIA JANUARY 10TH BRONCHITIS PLEURISY MILD WILL PROMPTLY ADVISE IF ANYTHING FURTHER RECEIVED. BASE RECORDS”
By late February Alfred had recovered and was detached from “A” Details Zeitoun and transferred to Tel-el-Kebir. He proceeded to the Western Front and was taken on strength in France on 28 February 1916. He was sick and recovering in hospital several times – 11 March 1917 for 11 days, on 13 June 1917 for 7 days, and again in May 1918 for 3 days.