Name
Alleyne Ibbotson
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/04/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
467532
Canadian Infantry
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIMY MEMORIAL
Vimy Memorial, France
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial, St. Mary’s Church Memorial, Rickmansworth, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
Pre War
Alleyne was born 28th of June 1887 in Rickmansworth the son of John Richie and Kathleen Rose (nee Bennett) Ibbotson. His father was a Draper Shopkeeper and in 1891 had a shop in Rickmansworth High Street where he was living with his wife, four children, his sister Catherine, a Draper’s Assistant, another Assistant, two Nursemaids and a Servant. They were still there in 1901 now with six children, two Assistants, and two Servants.
Alleyne attended Watford Boys Grammar School from September 1896 to December 1903. He is believed to have emigrated to Canada in 1905 settling in Alberta where on the 1911 census he was shown as age 24, a farmer, unmarried, a Methodist, and naturalised 1908. He enlisted on the 9th of December 1915 at Edmonton, Alberta, giving his next of kin as a brother in Saskatchewan.
Recorded as enlisting in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Wartime Service
Recruiting for 10th Battalion began on the 24th of August 1914 as soon as it became known that Canada’s offer of men had been accepted by Great Britain.
They reached Britain in mid October 1914 with the rest of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and after training on Salisbury Plain, landed in France in February 1915. Over the next two years the Battalion fought numerous actions.
Alleyne was killed in action at some point during the aftermath to the capture of Vimy Ridge on the 9th of April 1917 when the 10th suffered severe casualties. Nevertheless they continued to support the advance until relieved on the 21st. The Battalion was soon in action again, along with the 5th and 8th Battalions when the “Arleux Loop” was assaulted on the night of the 27th/28th. The Loop was an intricate system of trench fortifications, protected by machine guns, surrounding the ruins of the village of Arleux-en-Gohelle, and a formidable obstacle. It was secured after desperate hand to hand fighting. The 10th was relieved on the night of the 29th/30th and marched to billets at Eloi, incurring more casualties from shellfire.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
entry reads:
“IBBOTSON, ALLEYNE. School period: September, 1896, to December, 1903. Acting Lance-Corporal, 10th Battalion, 1st Canadians. Two years. Killed in action at Vimy Ridge, 28th April, 1917.”
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Mike Collins
