Name
Alfred Bird
25/10/1918
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/10/1918
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
G/60208
Royal Fusiliers *1
26th (County of London)(Service) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HARLEBEKE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
V. B. 14.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
St Thomas' Mission Hall, Green Tye, St Thomas' Church Memorial, Perry Green, Much Hadham Village Memorial, St Andrew’s Church Memorial, Much Hadham, Stone Bench Plaque, Much Hadham, Congregational Church Memorial, Hadham Cross
Pre War
Alfred Bird was born on 25th October 1888, in Green Tye, Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, son of William Bird an Agricultural Worker and Emma (nee Warwick ) Bird, he was one of seven children. Christened on 16th December 1888, in Much Hadham, Herts.
1891 Census records Alfred aged 2, living with his parents, and four siblings in Green Tye, Herts.
1901 Census records Alfred, and the family still living in Green Tye.
1911 Alfred is working as a Nursery Labourer living with his parents, and brother Charles (15), still in Green Tye, Herts.
Wartime Service
On his enlistment Alfred was posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 40479, arriving in France in September 1916.
He was transferred to the 32nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, with the service number G/60208, in October 1916. Alfred and his Battalion moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917, to strengthen the Italian Line, he was in the Front-Line sector behind the River Piave. He and the Battalion moved back to France in March 1918, where it was disbanded, Alfred was transferred to the 26th Battalion. He was Killed in Action on his 30th birthday, 25 October 1918.
War Diary 25th Oct 1918: (Attack near Ooteghem/L’Escaut River.)
“At 09.00am on commencement of the barrage, the whole line closed under the barrage and moved forward at 09.04am. The enemy had withdrawn about 400 yards and relied on a barrage to break up our advance. Four officers were wounded in the first 5 minutes.
By 10.30am the village had been taken.
At 12.30pm further advances were made.
The day's casualties were 79 wounded, 14 other ranks killed and 1 officer killed.” (This officer was Alfred Bird).
His parents placed the following tribute to him in the Herts and Essex newspaper in November 1918:
Day and night we think of him,
And wonder how he died.
We wish we could have held his hand,
And heard his last goodbye
Could we have stood beside his grave,
And shed one silent tear.
But Oh, he sleeps in a distant land, our Son our Brother dear.
(From his sorrowing father, mother, sisters and brothers).
Additional Information
His brother Corporal Charles Bird, who was killed on 29 April 1917, and is also commemorated on these memorials. His effects of £21-5s-0d, Pay Owing and a War Gratuity of £12, went to his mother Emma.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Bankers).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Malcolm Lennox, “Lest We Forget – Much Hadham 1914-18” by Richard Maddams Much Hadham Forge Museum
