Early Life
Alfred John Shout was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on 8 August 1882, the son of English-born cook John Shout and his Irish wife Agnes (née McGovern). He was privately educated in his youth. In 1900, Shout joined a New Zealand Army contingent for service in the Second Boer War. He "served with distinction" as a member of the New Zealand Border Horse in South Africa, and was wounded twice. On 29 January 1901, Shout, then a lance corporal, was engaged in action with his unit at Thabaksberg. Throughout the battle, he "assisted greatly" in maintaining the position of his men, and at one stage ventured out under heavy rifle fire to retrieve a wounded man, bringing him back to a place of safety. As a result of his "great courage" in this action, Shout was Mentioned in Despatches. He was promoted to sergeant on 7 May 1901, and discharged from service in 1902.
Shout remained in South Africa after his discharge and enlisted in Prince Alfred's Own Cape Field Artillery—a South African unit of the British Army—as a sergeant in 1903. During this time, he married Rose Alice; the couple had daughter Florence in 1905. In 1907, the Shout family emigrated to Australia, settling in the Sydney suburb of Darlington. Shout gained employment as a carpenter and joiner, but also "pursued his military interests" by joining the 29th Infantry Regiment of the Citizens Military Force. He was a regular visitor of the Randwick rifle range, gaining a reputation as a fine shot with the firearm. A foundation member of the 29th Infantry Club, Shout was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Citizens Military Force on 16 June 1914.
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