Private

Alfred Tighe

Alfred Tighe was born in Coomera, Queensland, on the 2nd of August 1888 to Mr Robert Watts Tighe and Mrs Sarah Tighe (nee Bozier) as the third of their 7 children. His older siblings (form eldest to youngest) were Lily and Amy and his younger siblings (from eldest to youngest) were Arthur, Gertrude, Ernest and Elizabeth.

Alfred Tighe was born in Coomera, Queensland, on the 2nd of August 1888 to Mr Robert Watts Tighe and Mrs Sarah Tighe (nee Bozier) as the third of their 7 children. His older siblings (form eldest to youngest) were Lily and Amy and his younger siblings (from eldest to youngest) were Arthur, Gertrude, Ernest and Elizabeth. Alfred attendeded Coomera State School for his final yeqar of schooling in 1900. Prior to his enlistment in the AIF, Alfred lived in Upper Coomera where he worked as a Labourer. Both of Alfred's younger brothers, Arthur and Ernest, served in the First World War and survived the conflict. Like Alfred, Arthur (no. 3449) served with the 15th Battalion. However, he seems to have spent most of his war sick, in and out of hospital.  Ernest (no. 471) served with various machine gun units. Ernest however, never saw combat and was discharged due to severe illness from Pneumonia.

Although there are a few ambiguities, a careful reading of Private Tighe's casualty records and the Battalion War Diary show that Private Tighe suffered two bullet wounds on the 7th of August - one to the chest and one to his right humerus. He was subsequently evacuated to the Greek Island of Mundros and then to the hospital ship HS Sicillia where he died on 10th of August 1915.

The 15th Battalion was formed in 1914 from Queensland and Tasmanian recruits as part of the all-volunteer Australian Imperial Force. The battalion fought during the Gallipoli Campaign and on the Western Front during the First World War. At Gallipoli, the 15th Battalion saw extensive combat on the 7th of August 1915, participating in the August offensive to try and break the Gallipoli deadlock. As part of the Australian 4th Infantry brigade, the 15th Battalion attempted to capture Hill 971, which along with the attack on the hill of Chunuk Bair, were the main objectives of the August offensive.

The 15th Battalion attacked before dawn on 7 August alongside the rest of the 4th Brigade, facing increasingly fierce and obstinate resistance. The attack stalled and the 4th Brigade, entrenched in their newly captured territory, failing to capture Hill 971.

The Lone Pine - Video Australian War Memorial

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