Alfred Edwin Bray (SN 1513) was already 42 years of age, with previous Boer War service, when he enlisted on September 8th 1914. At that time he was a carpenter living at 310 Windermere Street in Ballarat. He embarked on February 12th 1915 on the Runic, and served at Gallipoli with the 8th Battalion during the second battle of Krithia in early May.
Along with the terrible toll of battle, an acute water shortage added to the misery of life in the trenches until Alf Bray applied his bushman’s skills, and considerable courage, to sinking a well that brought relief to his comrades.
On June 1st he was wounded in action, suffering shrapnel wounds to the arm and chest. He was evacuated to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis in Egypt. After recovering, he was attached to the School of Instruction at Zeitoun in April 1916. A short time later he became ill and was hospitalised. It was then determined that he should be returned to Australia, suffering from ‘neurasthenia’. He returned aboard the Borda, reaching Melbourne on September 16th. He was discharged a month later, on October 18th 1916.
He died in October 1953 at the age of 83.