Boyle, Alexander (Alex)
Private
No. 6769, 20th Battalion, Australian Infantry, AIF
Killed in action on Sunday 11 August 1918 (aged 29)
Buried:
Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France (Grave X. F. 6)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ballywalter and District War Memorial
Ballywalter Presbyterian Church
Family grave headstone in Whitechurch Cemetery Ballywalter
BIOGRAPHY
Alexander Boyle was born on 26 August 1888 in Kilbright, Carrowdore and he was the third son of Robert and Agnes Jane Boyle (nee Hamilton) who were married on 6 August 1884 in Raffrey Presbyterian Church, Co Down. Robert Boyle from Kilbright, Carrowdore was a son of Robert Boyle, a farmer. Agnes Jane Hamilton was a daughter of William Hamilton, a farmer.
The Boyle family lived in the townland of Kilbright, Carrowdore.
Robert Boyle was a farmer and he and Agnes Jane had at least five children:
William (born 30 June 1885 in Kilbright)
James (born 7 December 1886 in Kilbright)
Alexander (born 26 August 1888 in Kilbright)
Mary Agnes (born 11 September 1890 in Kilbright)
Joseph (born 22 September 1892 in Kilbright)
The children were baptised in Ballywalter Presbyterian Church.
Alexander Boyle’s mother Agnes Jane died of pneumonia on 18 January 1916 (aged 62). Her son Joseph was with her when she died.
Alexander Boyle’s father Robert died on 7 May 1940 (aged 93).
Alexander Boyle worked as an electrical engineer before he moved to Australia around 1909. There he worked as a telephone mechanic before he enlisted in Sydney, New South Wales on 5 April 1917.
In his attestation papers it was noted that Alex Boyle was 5 feet 11 inches tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair and the Medical Officer pronounced him fit to serve.
Private Boyle was posted to England to complete his training and from there he was granted leave to visit his family at home.
He went to France on 30 April 1918 and was killed in action four months later on 11 August 1918.
Alex Boyle was unmarried and when he made his will on 13 June 1917 he bequeathed all of his property and effects to his father.
These items were duly itemised and forwarded to Robert Boyle in a sealed parcel:
Two metal mirrors, one photometer in a purse, one notebook, two wallets, one tobacco pouch, two discs, one metal ring, one silver wrist watch and strap, photographs, letters, cards, one cloth badge and odd papers.
When Private Alex Boyle (No. 6769) was killed he was buried in Lamotte-en-Santerre Communal Cemetery Extension, 4¾ miles south east of Corbie. The Rev R.G. Crawford officiated. Later his body was exhumed and reinterred in Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France.
Private Alex Boyle (No. 6769) is commemorated on Ballywalter and District War Memorial; in Ballywalter Presbyterian Church and on the family grave headstone in Whitechurch Cemetery Ballywalter.