Private Alfred George Witt
- Rank
- Private
- Appointment
- Sapper
- Service number
- WX23101
- Unit
- 1 Engineers Training Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died of Injuries
- Place of death
- Kapooka, New South Wales
- Date of death
- 21 May 1945
- Age
- 20
- Plaque number
- MC7A
- Co-located plaques
- MC7 - SGT Charles Townsend
- Dedicated by
- Nephew on 12 November 2022
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Alfred George Witt was born at Pinjarra, Western Australia on 25 April 1925 to parents Frank and Ella Verona Witt of Waroona, Western Australia. He had three brothers and one sister.
Alfred attended West Coolup primary school and Pinjarra high school. On completing his schooling, he was employed by the Nestle Milk factory in Waroona as a truck driver.
He enlisted in the Australian army on 23 January 1945 at Karrakatta as general reinforcements and was sent to Kapooka, New South Wales, for training with 1 Royal Australian Engineers Training Battalion.
On 21 May 1945 at about 1430 hours, like any other training day of a four-week training course, three instructors and twenty-two sapper trainees entered the dugout for training on how to develop hand charges. Alfred was one of these trainees.
The dugout contained over 50kg of high explosives including detonator chord, fuse wire and ignition sources. It is believed that the trainees were counting detonators with safety fuses when an explosion occurred. The dugout collapsed and debris filled the surrounding area.
Sapper Alfred George Witt, service number WX23101 of 1 Engineers Training Battalion, was accidently killed on service at Kapooka on 21 May 1945. He was 20 years of age. Alfred was one of twenty-six who were killed as a result of the training accident.
Alfred is buried in the Wagga Wagga War Cemetery, New South Wales and is remembered with honour. His roll of honour is in Waroona.
His plaque is placed alongside that of a known relative, Charles Richard Townsend of RAAF, attached to Number 199 Squadron RAF.