Rifleman S/25852 Rifle Brigade
(The Prince Consort's Own)
11th Bn.
20th (Light) Division
Alfred was the middle of the three brothers and by the 1911 census he was shown as a newly wed living with his wife, Elizabeth, in two rooms at 26, Peter St., Barking Road. He was shown working in the tobacco trade and Elizabeth working in a mat factory. Their first child, Alfred William, was born in July 1911. Henry George arrived in June 1913 and Amelia Florence Grace was born November 1915. The medal card for Alfred does not show a date of entering the theater of war. He is shown entitled to receive the Victory and British medals. He had been working for the Adkin & Sons branch of The Imperial Tobacco Company when he joined the war effort. Right: Elizabeth, Harold, Amelia and Alfred c.1917/8 |
Very little is known about Alfred's service during the war. Early in 1918 Elizabeth gave birth to their fourth child, Grace and it is unknown if Alfred managed to see his youngest child. By February 1918 his brigade was holding the Menen Road just east of Ieper. The war diary shows few of his comrades where killed or wounded in the first two months of 1918. Why he was wounded may never be known.
An extract from the 'Referee' newspaper published in Sydney 13th February 1918. This gives an idea of the conditions along the Menen Road at the time of Alfred's death.
Battle on the Menin Road
Mr. C. H. J. Upton, the secretary of the Glebe Rugby League team, has received an interesting letter from Corporal Bert Gray, extracts from which are:
"I have just come out of the stiffest and hottest affair of the whole campaign. Talk about luck. I have had some. We have been on the offensive right from the jump, and I can tell awful stories of the Menin-road stoush. It was dreadful. The Germans used to shell this road night and day, but it made no difference to our men. They had to go through it, and through it they went. The Aussies know the road as Menin racecourse — everybody had to gallop down it. You ought to have seen the old donkeys travelling. It made a man laugh as serious as the battling was.
They are driven back for miles now, and it is not so bad on Menin-road. We followed them up with these plank roads right among our artillery, which was going night and day. All sorts of iron was going over to him, knocking his famous pill-boxes right over. I would not be on his side for all the money that was ever made. These pill-boxes are death traps to the Germans. If one of our heavies lands a shell on them the concussion kills them straightaway. I know this, as I have been in one that we had captured recently, and as one of Fritz's shells lobbed near us we took this one for cover. The next shell that came over just touched the corner and the concussion knocked four of us down. My head was aching for a week.
We got our share on the plank roads. One could see men going one way and mules another. It was only a matter of Fritz putting up his observation balloon and then knocking transport men, mules, and plank roads to atoms in ten minutes. But that is all done away with, as we have driven him right back, and he no longer is boss. We hold the reins now, and it is our turn to give him gip. We are having grand weather at present, and our men are pushing him every chance they get and gaining ground. It was snowing this time last year, but to-day it is great, and you can bet our chief, Sir Douglas Haig, is quite pleased, as every day of fine weather puts Fritz back an awful lot. The wet weather suits him.
"We had a game of football here just amongst ourselves. I often get the ball out now and have a go, as we are in a pretty quiet place. Wombo Regan is still away in Blighty. Ed. Summers, who went to Blighty on leave, is still away. Stilton and Lewis are still going good. I often see lots of Glebe boys over here, and some of them you would not know —they are such big chaps now. Frank Neil got knocked in the third round against Young Symonds, ex-champion of Great Britain. He told me he was not too well, and would like another go. Richard Moroney is a P.C. in Blighty, and according to the lads he is doing well. I would give £1 to bump him running somebody up.
My brother Will stopped a wee bit of iron in the hand, and is in hospital in France. I expect to see him any day now. Best wishes to all the boys."
Battle on the Menin Road
Mr. C. H. J. Upton, the secretary of the Glebe Rugby League team, has received an interesting letter from Corporal Bert Gray, extracts from which are:
"I have just come out of the stiffest and hottest affair of the whole campaign. Talk about luck. I have had some. We have been on the offensive right from the jump, and I can tell awful stories of the Menin-road stoush. It was dreadful. The Germans used to shell this road night and day, but it made no difference to our men. They had to go through it, and through it they went. The Aussies know the road as Menin racecourse — everybody had to gallop down it. You ought to have seen the old donkeys travelling. It made a man laugh as serious as the battling was.
They are driven back for miles now, and it is not so bad on Menin-road. We followed them up with these plank roads right among our artillery, which was going night and day. All sorts of iron was going over to him, knocking his famous pill-boxes right over. I would not be on his side for all the money that was ever made. These pill-boxes are death traps to the Germans. If one of our heavies lands a shell on them the concussion kills them straightaway. I know this, as I have been in one that we had captured recently, and as one of Fritz's shells lobbed near us we took this one for cover. The next shell that came over just touched the corner and the concussion knocked four of us down. My head was aching for a week.
We got our share on the plank roads. One could see men going one way and mules another. It was only a matter of Fritz putting up his observation balloon and then knocking transport men, mules, and plank roads to atoms in ten minutes. But that is all done away with, as we have driven him right back, and he no longer is boss. We hold the reins now, and it is our turn to give him gip. We are having grand weather at present, and our men are pushing him every chance they get and gaining ground. It was snowing this time last year, but to-day it is great, and you can bet our chief, Sir Douglas Haig, is quite pleased, as every day of fine weather puts Fritz back an awful lot. The wet weather suits him.
"We had a game of football here just amongst ourselves. I often get the ball out now and have a go, as we are in a pretty quiet place. Wombo Regan is still away in Blighty. Ed. Summers, who went to Blighty on leave, is still away. Stilton and Lewis are still going good. I often see lots of Glebe boys over here, and some of them you would not know —they are such big chaps now. Frank Neil got knocked in the third round against Young Symonds, ex-champion of Great Britain. He told me he was not too well, and would like another go. Richard Moroney is a P.C. in Blighty, and according to the lads he is doing well. I would give £1 to bump him running somebody up.
My brother Will stopped a wee bit of iron in the hand, and is in hospital in France. I expect to see him any day now. Best wishes to all the boys."
Alfred died of his wounds on 6th February 1918 and was buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord) on the outskirts of Bailleul. Shortly after the area was retaken by the Germans at the same time Thomas' 25th Division were stationed there. I do wonder if Thomas was able to visit his brother's graveside before the area was lost. It is likely he was aware of the death of Alfred as his youngest brother, Henry had been informed by dispatch. (See below).
Below are a couple of letters from Alfred's place of work. News had traveled fast for Elizabeth to have sent a letter and received a reply by the 11th February. It appeared Alfred was well liked by the firm and had a promising future.
Fate was to deal the family another cruel blow within the year. On 22nd January 1919 Elizabeth died of the Spanish Flu as did their youngest child, Grace, at about the same time. This left the three older children orphaned and taken in by family.
Alfred's grave, Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord) on the outskirts of Bailleul.
Since my first two visits to Alfred's graveside his headstone has been replaced with a new one.
Image taken 20th November 2014.
Image taken 20th November 2014.
© Alan Graham 2021