Wikipedia

Alfred Aghan

Alfred John Aghan (b. 19 July 1890- d. 1961) also known as Alfred or Alf Ah Gan was an Australian Chinese WWI soldier who fought in the New Zealand Army.

Alfred Aghan
Portrait of Alfred Aghan
Nickname(s)Alf
Born19 July 1890
Victoria, Australia
Died1961
Allegiance New Zealand  Australia
Service / branchArmy
Years of service1916-1918
Service numberWWI 13300
UnitNew Zealand Mounted Rifles
Battles / wars1914-1916 Egypt
AwardsBritish War Medal (1914-1920)
RelationsDavid Aghan

Aghan was born in Victoria, Australia on 19 July 1890, to mother Elizabeth Southgate and father William Ah Gan and was one of eleven children.[1]

Life and First World War

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In 1904 the 'Ah Gan' family anglicised their name to Aghan during The White Australia Policy.[2] Despite being Australian born with Chinese heritage, the brothers were unable to enlist for service in Australia. The Defence Act in place during WWI meant that some Australians with Chinese ancestry were able to overcome barriers of discrimination that were put in place to deter Chinese and other minority groups from the war effort.[3][2]

At age 25, Aghan left his job in Melbourne as a French polisher and with his brother David and moved to New Zealand.[4] Alfred and David joined their brother and sister who already lived in Hastings and stayed at that address before enlistment. The brothers socialised as Australian and not Chinese, in order to successfully enlist, as they were members of the British Empire by virtue of being Australian citizens.[5]

Aghan left New Zealand on the HMNZT Willochra on the 17 April 1915. [6] Alfred and his brother David served with the Auckland Mounted Rifles from 1916 to 1918, in Egypt and Palestine. As part of the 13 Squadron and 13th Mounted Rifles, where Aghan held the title of Private and Trooper. He also did a brief transfer to the Veterinary Corps.[1]

Personal life & collections

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Aghan married Violet Catherine Reardon in 1921.

In 2016, a descent of Aghan, Brett Aghan, gifted Auckland War Memorial Museum a selection of artefacts belonging to Albert Aghan to add to their collections.[2] Some of these objects can be viewed at Pou Maumahara Memorial Discovery Centre in Auckland Museum.[7]

Some of Aghan's belongings can be viewed below:

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    Black leather wallet, WW1 period. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan.
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    Holy Bible; pocket edition. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan.
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    Holy Bible; pocket edition (inside). Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan.
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    Soldiers Pay Book For Use on Active Service. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan
  •  
    Soldiers Pay Book For Use on Active Service (inside). Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan
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    New Zealand Forces buttons. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan
  •  
    Souvenir notebook book. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan
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    NZ Machine Gun Corps badge. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan.
  •  
    Identity tags of NZ. Belonged to Private Alfred John Aghan.

Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Alfred Aghan". Online Cenotaph.
  2. ^ a b c "Object • Affection [物 • 情]". Object • Affection 物 · 情. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Aghan Brothers". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  4. ^ Chinese Museum (December 2022). "Chinese Anzacs Fast Facts".
  5. ^ History Teachers’ Association of Victoria and the Chinese Museum (2015). "Chinese Anzacs Education Resource" (PDF).
  6. ^ torpedobay (16 September 2012). "Troopships departed NZ WW1". National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Pou Maumahara". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
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