EASON, Alan Ernest

EASON, Alan Ernest – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWII
SERVICE NO : QX17451
RANK : Driver
UNIT : A.I.F. 1 Corps Australian Army Service Corps
ENLISTMENT DATE : 29/07/1940
AGE : 22
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Kelvin Grove, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Brisbane, Queensland
RELIGION : Presbyterian
OCCUPATION : Commercial Traveller
DATE OF DEATH : 16/02/1945
PLACE OF BURIAL : Klagenfurt, Austria

MEMORIALS : Warwick Central State School WWII Honour Board, Warwick The Fallen 1939-1945, Warwick War Memorial, Warwick St Andrew’s Church The Fallen 1939-1945 Plaque, Brisbane Grammar School WWII Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

View Veteran’s Service File : EASON, Alan Ernest

NOTES : Alan Ernest Eason was one of four sons and one daughter born to Cyril Lewis and Florence Ellen Eason. His sister died as an infant but the four boys survived and thrived.

Alan attended Warwick Central State School and worked as a Commercial Traveller who was based in Brisbane. The Eason brothers were all well know in the Brisbane football circles. There was hardly a weekend that went by when one or more of them were featured in the sports section of the newspapers. In 1939 Alan was selected to be a representative player in the winning Queensland Rugby Union Touring Team which defeated New South Wales 97-84.

With his brothers Raymond Cyril Eason QX39435, Keith Alexander Eason QX6780 and Colin Leonard Eason Q126659 all enlisted, Alan sought the blessing of his parents, for their youngest son to also enlist as Alan desperately wanted to join his older brothers and do his bit for the war effort.

Alan arrived in Alexandria in February 1941 and departed for Greece on April 4, 1941. It was during the fighting here where he was captured and taken as a prisoner of war. Alan eventually arrived at Stalag XVIIIA in Wolfsburg, Austria. This is where he spent the next four years as a prisoner of war.

He developed very strong bonds with his fellow inmates and when they had the opportunity for exercise he once again dominated in the game of footy.

Unfortunately, Alan died as a result of an air raid carried out by the allies on the camp as it was mistaken for a German training camp and not the POW Camp which it was in reality.

The story of EASON, Alan Ernest is told in detail in Deborah C Wheeler’s publication, Silk Clouds and Olive Trees: Stories from the Battle of Crete. www.deborahcwheeler.com

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.