Name
Alfred Ansell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/04/1915
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
13400
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY
V111.A.12
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial, St. Mary’s Church Memorial, Rickmansworth, Not on the Watford memorials (*1)
Pre War
Alfred was born in 1884 in Rickmansworth the son of Alfred and Letitia (nee Ayres) Ansell.
His parents married 23 August 1874 at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth, Herts. Alfred died 1896 in Rickmansworth aged 46, and was buried 19 April at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth; Letitia died 1925 in Watford aged 76, and was buried 11 March in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
His father was a Brewer’s Drayman and in 1891 the family, including six children, were living in Wharf Lane, Rickmansworth.
His father died in 1896 and in 1901 Alfred, age 16, was employed as a Gravel Carter and living in Wharf Lane with his brother John and his wife Emily, their daughter Ethel, and another brother William age 10. His mother was employed as a Nurse in the household of Harry W Hunt at 5 Verulam Terrace, Rickmansworth. By 1911 he was a General Labourer, still in Wharf Lane but boarding with Thomas Cadmore and family. His mother age 62 was living with her daughter Elizabeth and her husband John Salter at 4 Vale Road, Bushey. Money due to Alfred on his death was paid in equal amounts of £1.14s.2d to his mother and five siblings.
Officially recorded as born in Rickmansworth and was living in Watford (*1) when he enlisted in Marylebone, London.
Wartime Service
On the 11th of April 1915 Alfred’s unit took over the trenches opposite Hill 60, a low ridge on the eastern side of the Ypres-Comines railway.
The position was held despite intensive German attacks, including bombing and shelling, until the 1st Beds were relieved on the 20th of April. Alfred died of wounds on the 21st of April in 11th General Hospital, Boulogne and probably sustained them during this engagement.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 11 November 1914, and died at 11 General Hospital, Boulogne of the wounds he received in action.
Additional Information
*1 It is possible, because of their proximity and how postal addresses work, that Rickmansworth was recorded as Watford. There is a brief article about Alfred in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 1 May 1915; and an In Memoriam in the issue dated 22 April 1916. Unfortunately, Alfred’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Mike Collins
