Name
Alfred Shorter
28 September 1875
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/12/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
42102
Royal Irish Rifles
16th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HERMIES BRITISH CEMETERY
E. 12.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial
Pre War
Alfred Shorter was born on 28 September 1875 in Bishop's Stortford to Alfred and Sarah Shorter and baptised at St Michael’s, Bishop's Stortford on 26 March 1876. The family lived at Rye Street, Bishop's Stortford on the 1891 Census. He married Emily Kate Taylor (known as Emma) in 1900 and on the 1901 Census they were living with his parents at Rye Street, when Alfred was working as a general labourer. By the 1911 Census they had moved to 40 Bells Hill, Bishop's Stortford and had three children, Alfred, William Abraham and Sarah Lydia and he was working as a chimney sweep, as his father had been before him.
Wartime Service
He originally enlisted into the Bedfordshire Regiment under reg. no. 31695, then transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles. The battalion were encamped south of Hermies, between Bapaume and Cambrai, carrying out work including transporting wire fencing up to the reserve line north of Flesquires. At 11 am on the 2 December 1917 they were heavily shelled, resulting in 27 casualties.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 10s and pay owing of £5 12s 8d for herself and their children. She also received a pension of £1 5s 5d a week from 17 June 1918.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
