Private Alfred Maitland arrived back in Sydney on 22 January 1919, after four and a half years' service in Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom, having enlisted in 1914 into the 2nd Battalion AIF as an 'Original'. He was discharged on 24 March 1919.
Shortly after, Maitland re-enlisted at Holsworthy Camp for Special Service on 17 May 1919 and was given a new service number, 85804. He departed Sydney aboard the transport ship 'Kursk' on 27 May and disembarked in London on 23 July. His nominal unit was the YMCA facility at Sutton Veny on the Salisbury Plain.
During his second period in England, Maitland married Miss Gladys Crow, aged 24 years, at the Methodist Church, Kings Heath, Worcester on 17 September 1919. On the marriage documents, he showed his full name as Alfred Duncan Maitland and his employment as a Marine Engineer. The newly married couple then waited for an AIF 'family ship', allocated specifically for bringing other married personnel and often children, back to Australia. They departed England aboard the 'Port Napier' on 21 December 1919 and arrived in Sydney on 12 February 1920.
Maitland was discharged from the AIF for the second time on 26 February 1920.