The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Mussman
First Name:
Alfred Charles
Nick Name:
Alf or Snook
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX9887
Classification:
Rangetaker
Company:
‘C’ Company
Enlisted:
9.12.1940
DOB:
25.04.1911
Place of Birth:
Adelaide, South Australia
Father's Name:
Lawrence Mussman
Mothers's Name:
Maud Mussman
Religion:
Agnostic
Pre-war Occupation:
Fitter’s Assistant
Memorial:
Epitaph, Singapore Memorial, Column 136, Age 30.
Cause of Death:
Killed in Action
Place of Death:
Reformatory Road, Ulu Pandan
Date of Death:
11.02.1942
Buried:
Where killed at map reference 758128 by Major A. Cough Party on 21.12.1942.

General Description

Born in Adelaide, South Australia Alf Mussman came to WA with his football career from Sturt to East Perth in 1935.  He enlisted AIF Dec 1940, later joined 2/4th MGB and trained as a Rangetaker with ‘C’ Coy, 11 Platoon under CO Lt Boyle.
He recorded his mother Maude Mussman as his NOK.  He was single.
Alf Mussman was KIA 13 February 1942 at Ulu Pandang, Singapore aged 30 years.  He received a fatal wound to his head.
Please read about Ulu Pandan.
About 8 months later, when the Japanese finally agreed to repeated Allied requests to recover their dead, Mussman’s body was found, identified by his identity discs and buried where killed by the burial party.   Informant’s signatures were Harry Bunker and R.D. Hampson.

 

Final resting place unknown. Name listed on Column 136. Kranji.  MEMORIAL ID56230370
Read further about 2/4th Football team.

 

And his official Football record.

Alf’s football career began early in SA where he was born and grew up.
Sturt Football Club 1931:
Members of the Sturt Football Club. Top row: G. Westley (trainer), C. Foreman (trainer), F.R. Johnstone (trainer), E.A. Lord (head trainer), T.R.L. Alderman (committee), O.B. Beatty (trainer), D.C. Sharp (trainer), A. Longmore (trainer), A.G. Etheridge (trainer). Second row: E. Colley, A.C. Mussman, J. Headon, W.K. Dunn, G.J.R. Green, A.G. Smith, E. Fisher, A. Morgan, C. Rossiter, G. Headon. Third row: O. Richardson (committee), F.G. Aistrope, W. Martin, P.T. Morton, L.L. Simon, P. Robertson, J. [sic] Wakefield, G.D. Smith, E.W. Sims, C.B. Parsons, T.M. Beatty (timekeeper). Fourth row: H.W. Johnston, H.J. Moody (committee), R. Green, J.K. Alderman (chairman), V.A. Bateman (captain), H.C. Richards (patron), C. Whitehead (vice-captain), E.R. Brown, (president), A.L. Payne, S. White (coach), L. King. Front row: S.W. Lord (assistant secretary), S. Headon, L.W. Leak, R.S. Beatty (secretary), W. Smith, H.G. Matthews (committee), R. Treleaven, J. Wadham, A. Harris (doorkeeper).

Members of the Sturt Football Club. Top row: G. Wesley (trainer), A. Longmore (trainer), E.A. Lord (trainer), D.C. Sharp (trainer), W. Mitchell (color steward), O.B. Beatty (trainer), F.R. Johnstone (trainer), C. Foreman (trainer), A.G. Etheridge (trainer). Second row: T.M. Beatty (timekeeper), A.C. Longmore, C. Rossiter, K. Brown, G. Davis, W. Beeching, A.G. Smith, M. Purdie, J.F. Golding, S. Headon, R.S. Beatty (secretary). Third row: O. Richardson (committee), L. King, G. Headon, W. Martin, P.R. Robertson, L. Shuttleworth, K.M. Sawatzke, F.G. Aistrope, G.J.R. Green, A.C. Mussman, T.R.L. Alderman (committee). Fourth row: H.J. Moody (committee), W.K. Dunn, C.B. Parsons, J.K. Alderman (chairman), V.A. Bateman (captain), E.R. Brown (president), J. Wadham (vice-captain), H.R. Bruce (committee) E. Fisher, E.W. Sims, H.G. Matthews (committee). Front row: A. Donaldson, L.A. Reeves, L.W. Leak, S. White, W. Smith, A. Wundersitz, A. Harris (doorkeeper), R. Treleaven, H.W. Johnston, R. Piper.

 

Below:  Mussman likened to an ‘Arab who steals away’ – this reporter has a vivid imagination!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mussman was a bit of a larrikin as seen here.  He also wrote on his enlistment details his religion was ‘Agnostic’ –  not many would have done so!

\

It appears Alf Mussman was a spirited young footballer!

 

 

Mussman Alf

 

Below:  Alf’s 1937 engagement to Dorothy Laura Owens is announced in SA Newspapers. They married the same year, however the marriage was not succesful.

 

 

 

2nd4th Football team 1941
Back row L-R C Ryan , F. McCaffery, L. Daily (C), A Hewby (Manager), E. Hunt, R. Anderson, F. Clark, T. Tomkins
Middle row L-R C. Helmrich, R. Baddock, J. Pearce, R. Riebe, C Spackman, J. Dore
Front row L-R E.J. Ovens, J. Smith, J. Wheelock, J. Innes, H. White, A. Mussman

 

 

Below:  Mussman and Innes are recorded at the East Perth Football Club WW2 Honour Roll.

 

Alf’s father died in SA May 1941.

 

Alf’s mother died in 1949.

Back