Name
Alfred Albert Pettifer
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/09/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
79856
Royal Fusiliers *1
9th Bn. *1
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
EPEHY WOOD FARM CEMETERY, EPEHY
VI. A. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Croxley Green Village Memorial, Croxley Green, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Croxley Mills, Croxley Green, Not on the Rickmansworth memorials, Not on the Watford memorials
Pre War
Alfred was born in Croxley on 19 February 1898 and christened at Croxley Green on 1 February 1903. His parents were James and Harriet Pettifer (nee BARNETT), who lived at 7 Croxley Mill Cottages, Cassiobridge.
His parents married 24 December 1892 at St Andrew’s, Watford. Harriet died 20 May 1943 in Watford aged 76, and was buried 25 May in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; James died 19 September 1946 in Watford aged 76, and was buried 24 September, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Alfred was born 19 February 1898 or 1900 in Rickmansworth, Herts, and baptised 1 February 1903 at All Saints, Croxley Green, Herts. He was employed by John Dickenson & Co at their Croxley Mills.
On the 1901 Census, aged 1 he lived in Watford, with his parents and two siblings.
In 1911 James worked as a storekeeper at the mill and, judging by the Dickinson war memorial, Alfred worked there too. James originated in Rickmansworth and Harriet in Nantwich, Cheshire.
Officially recorded as born in Rickmansworth (more accurately Croxley Green) and living in Watford when he enlisted in Watford.
Wartime Service
He was formerly TR/LON/136545, 53rd Y S Battalion. Private Alfred Albert Pettifer, 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), died 21 September 1918.
Alfred’s Battalion was part of 36th Brigade and 12th (Eastern) Division. The 12th Division played an important role in the final advance through the Somme area. In early September they attacked and took heavily fortified Nurlu and then successfully fought the battle of Epehy on 18 September before pushing on towards the St Quentin canal and the Hindenburg line.
Alfred was killed during these actions. He is buried at Epehy Wood Farm between Cambrai and Peronne in the Somme area.
Additional Information
After his death the Army paid his father £6 3s 7d including a war gratuity of £5.
*1 Probably more correctly (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Brian Thomson, Croxley Green in the First World War Rickmansworth Historical Society 2014, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH online via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
