Name
Alfred Williamson
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1915
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
6044
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CAMBRIN CHURCHYARD EXTENSION
H.23
France
Headstone Inscription
REST IN PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Royston Town War Memorial, Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
Alfred Williamson was born in 1885 in Baldock, Herts, the son of the William James and Rhoda Selina Williamson, and baptised on 23 August 1885 in Baldock.
His father died in 1888 and on the 1891 Census the family were living at Park Street, Baldock where his widowed mother was working as a charwoman and older brother James was working as an agricultural labourer. His mother remarried to John Bonner in 1897 and had moved to Paignton Road, Tottenham by 1901, her 13 year old daughter Nellie (Ellen) Williamson living with them. She returned to Hertfordshire in 1911 and was recorded as a widow living at 5 Queen's Road, Royston with daughter Ellen and working as a laundress, however, John Bonner was listed in the Edmonton Union Workhouse and he was also said to be widowed.
By 1911 Alfred had joined the army and was recorded on the census as a private with the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, stationed at Dinapore [Dinapur] Cantonment in northern India. His regimental number suggests he is likely to have enlisted in early 1900.
Wartime Service
Being a serving soldier at the outbreak of war, Alfred was posted to France on 11 August 1914 when the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment landed at Le Havre. They were quickly in action and took part in the Battle of Mons in 1914, followed by the Retreat from Mons, Battle of Le Cateau and action at Nery. At some point he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
He was killed in action on 25 September 1915, during the Battle of Loos, when the battalion were in trenches near the village of Cambrin. They made an early morning assault on German positions but this quickly failed, and they were forced to withdraw, having suffered a total of 455 casualties killed, wounded or missing. Alfred is buried in Cambrin Churchyard Extension, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £23 16s 3d was divided equally between his mother Rhoda, sisters Helen and Rhoda and brother William. No pension cards have been found.
His brother, William Williamson, was killed in action on 9 August 1916, whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment and is buried in Potijze Chateau Wood Cemetery, Belgium.
SDIGW gives Alfred's birthplace as Tottenham, Middx but his birth was registered as Hitchin registration district (which then included Baldock) and he was baptised in Baldock.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
