Name
Alfred Batchelor
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
50254
Suffolk Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TILLOY BRITISH CEMETERY, TILLOY-LES-MOFFLAINES
II. H. 23.
France
Headstone Inscription
NONE
UK & Other Memorials
Great Gaddesden War Memorial, Not on the Hemel Hempstead Memorials, Not on the Bovingdon memorials
Pre War
Alfred Batchelor was born in1880 at Longcroft, Bovingdon, Herts, son of Richard and Caroline Batchelor and one of 10 children. On the 1881 Census the family were living at Longcroft, Bovingdon, Herts where his father was a farm servant and his mother was a straw plaiter. By 1891 they had moved to Hemel Hempstead and were living at 6 Boxted Cottages, where his father was an agricultural labourer.
His father died in 1898 and on the 1901 Census he was living with his widowed mother and 6 siblings at 6 Boxted Cottages, Hemel Hempstead, and working as an Agricultural Labourer.
He married Emily Humphreys in 1906 and they had two children, Dorothy and Alfred by the time of the 1911 Census when they were living at Great Gaddesden, nr Hemel Hempstead and he was working as a Farm Labourer. They later had five more children, Harold, Arthur, Ellen, Violet and Gladys.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford in July 1916, despite having only one eye, and initially served with the Suffolk Regiment under Reg. No. 35174. He later served with the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment under Reg. No. 50254.
He was killed in action on 9 April 1917 during the First Battle of the Scarpe, [the Scarpe is a river to the north of Arras] and is buried in Tilloy British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 1s. She also received a pension of £1 16s 3d a week for herself and her children. Brother to Harold Batchelor of 1st Btn, Bedfordshire Regiment (7615) who died 30.4.18 and Sgt William Batchelor MM, Bedfordshire Regiment, (14124) who died 27.8.18, both whom are named on the Potten End Memorial and Hemel Hempstead Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org.
