Name
Alfred John Harding
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17386
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C.
France
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour
Pre War
Son of Elizabeth (nee DOWNING) and the late Albert HARDING; husband of Sarah Jane (nee WHITE) HARDING.
His parents married 8 June 1876 at Sts Morwenna and John the Baptist, Morwenstow, Cornwall. Albert died 4 August 1911 aged 57; Elizabeth died 23 January 1924 aged 68; both in Cardiff.
Alfred was born 1881 in Cardiff, and married 26 December 1901 at St Margaret’s, Roath, Cardiff; they had two children. He resided in Roath. Sarah never remarried and died 1927 in the Cardiff district aged 48.
On the 1881 Census, aged 3 weeks he lived in Cardiff, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1891 Census, John aged 10 still lived in Cardiff, with his parents and six siblings. On the 1901 Census, a plasterer aged 20 John was a boarder in Watford. On the 1911 Census, a plasterer aged 30, he still lived in Watford, with his wife and two children.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 4 October 1915, and was killed in action during an unsuccessful attack on The Quadrilateral near Morval.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, Alfred’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
