Name
Alfred James Tibbles
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23283
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ORCHARD DUMP CEMETERY, ARLEUX-EN-GOHELLE
III.J.38
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Croxley Mill, Croxley Green,
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial,
St. Mary’s Church Memorial, Rickmansworth
Pre War
Alfred Tibbles was born in Rickmansworth on 21 February 1896 and baptised there on 12 April 1896.
In 1901 Alfred, aged 5, was living in Talbot Road with his parents Alfred and Sarah (nee Paddick) who married in 1895. Alfred senior worked as a papermaker. In 1911 the family was still living in Talbot Road, at number 82, and Alfred junior was working as a labourer.
He is recorded as an employee of Croxley Mill on the John Dickinson & Co. memorial. After Alfred’s death, the army paid £9 6s 6d, including a war gratuity of £6, to his joint legatees, his parents and his sweetheart, Irene Polleycutt.
Recorded as enlisting in Watford.
Wartime Service
Private Alfred Tibbles, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment died in the Arras offensive during the second battle of the Scarpe on 23 April 1917.
He is buried at Arleux-en-Gohelle, north east of Arras. On 22 April the battalion moved into the front line facing Gavrelle and attacked at 4.45 am the next morning. On the day Alfred was killed they captured the village and reached their objective but were then shelled very heavily during the day. There were 269 casualties.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Brian Thomson
