Name
Alfred Cuthbert Gash
5 October 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/03/1918
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36322
Royal Berkshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley,
Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Alfred Cuthbert Gash was born in Cotterells Road, Boxmoor, Herts on 5 October 1897, the oldest son of Robert and Lizzie Gash. He was one of seven children, although two died in infancy. He also had an older half brother from his father's first marriage to Alice Kempster.
On the 1901 Census he was living with his family at 13 Cotterells Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a Bricklayer. They remained living at the same address on the 1911 Census the family were living at 13 Cotterells Road, Hemel Hempstead where his father was working as a Bricklayer and 13 year old Alfred was a Book Corner Cutter at the Paper Mills.
Soldiers in the Great War record Alfred as born on Hertford, but all sources suggest Boxmoor.
Wartime Service
Alfred tried to enlist in March 1915 when he was seventeen, but was unsuccessful and had to wait until November when he joined the Hertfordshire Regiment (5824). He was sent for basic training and when he reached the age of nineteen in 1916 he was sent to France and transferred to the 6th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales' (Royal Berkshire) Regiment, later being transferred again to the 1st Battalion. (N.B. the National Roll of the Great War states that he was in the (Signalling Section).
He joined the Battalion on 7 November and soon saw action at the Battle of Ancre, the final phase of the Somme offensive. The following year he fought in the Battles of the Scarpe, the Battle of Arleux and the Battle of Cambrai.
In March 1918 the !st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment were in reserve at the Battle of St Quentin. They were subjected to heavy enemy shelling on 21, 22 and 23 March and on 24 March the Battle of Baupame began. They went into action and fought for two days but were eventually forced to withdraw for fear of being outflanked. Alfred was initially posted as missing during this time, and later confirmed as killed in action on 25 March 1918, aged 21.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
Brother to Robert who served with the Machine Gun Corps and was killed on 26 September 1917 and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
His father received a war gratuity of £13 10s and pay owing of £13 4s. His mother received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com.
