Leading Stoker Alexander LAW
7 Apr 1921 – 6 Mar 1943
Alexander “Lex” LAW was the eldest son born on the 7th April, 1921 to Alexander and Robina Elder LAW at Waikerie. He had a brother Ian and sister Evelyn. Alexander (Snr.) was an original “Anzac” who served in Gallipoli and in France during ‘The Great War’ (World War 1).
Lex enlisted in the RAN attesting on 6th March 1940. At that time he was a fruit grower, described as 5’7” tall, fresh faced with straight brown hair and blue eyes.
During his service he visited England and Scotland and was on convoy duty in the North Sea for three months before he proceeded to the Mediterranean and took part in the evacuation of Crete; taking the evacuated to Alexandria. They had no air protection, but Lex when interviewed later said the “Navy anti-aircraft fire was wonderful.”
Then followed the Syrian Campaign, Stoker Law’s vessel was one of the Australian ships in this campaign as the fleet moved clown the Syrian coast bombarding Alexandretta, Darniouri and Beyrouk. A short spell in Alexandria and then on the “Tobruk Ferry Service” carrying supplies and munitions to the “Rats of Tobruk”. This lasted for four months and later the warship took up fresh British relief troops and withdrew the Australians.
Malta convoys including a big convoy in 1942 (when convoys from both ends of the Mediterranean were sent simultaneously in the hopes of dividing the enemy air strength; however, the enemy concentrated on the ‘Alexandria convoy’; and drove them back but the convoy from Gibraltar got through with the island’s much needed supplies). During this Lex’s ship left the Mediterranean in January 1941 and dashed across to the Indian Ocean where the Japanese had raided Columbo and Trinconialee but could not make contact with the enemy.
Bombardments of the enemy positions along the Libyan coast were very effective and of great help to our land forces. Mersa Matruh where there was a strong enemy air post, was given particular attention. Law’s ship was at hand when H.M.S. Braham was torpedoed and sunk and picked up the survivors from that ship.
In a newspaper article on his starting leave it was reported “Lex appears to have crowded the experiences and thrills of a lifetime into the past two years. Lean and bronzed he has passed from boyhood to manhood since his Waikerie friends saw him last.”
In March 1943, Lex was on “harvest leave” and an old school mate, Bruce Allen was also on leave in Waikerie at this time. On Friday the 5th March 1943, Lex took a local 18 year old girl, Anita SEARLE, to a dance at Barmera. Bruce travelled with them. In the early hours of Saturday morning, 6th March 1943, as they returned from the dance, their car crashed into a tree on the ‘Kingston-on-Murray main highway’, 21 miles east from Waikerie. Lex and Anita were killed instantly and Bruce was injured. Lex and Anita were buried on Sunday the 7th March 1943 at the Waikerie Cemetery.
Alexander LAW is commemorated at the Australian War Memorial on the Roll of Honour.
LAW Road in WAIKERIE is named after him. Lex is also commemorated with a tree and plaque in the WAIKERIE War Memorial Gardens.
