Alfred Steele lost his life at Ypres in October 1917 at the age of 32, having been among the original Australians who enlisted for the war.
Steele was a farmer in the Tannymorel area of the Scenic Rim region of Southern Queensland. He played soccer for the village’s team in their regular games against Warwick, as well as for the regional side against Toowoomba.
He enlisted in August 1914 and embarked a month later to join the 9th Battalion. Steele’s 1915 was eventful. He received a head injury at Gallipoli in April which required a month’s recovery. After rejoining his unit, Steele was then shot in the back in July. This time he was out until September only to fall ill and evacuated to England in October. Steele spent much of 1916 and 1917 training or behind the lines. In September 1917, he sailed with the 49th Battalion to France and onto Belgium.
He died less than a month later, having only made a will in July. While his records are unclear in relation to his duties at various times, they suggest he spent around three months over three years actively fighting before his death.