Name
Alfred Head
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/07/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
12524
King’s Royal Rifle Corps
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE
VIII. A. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
Forever in Our Thoughts
UK & Other Memorials
Much Hadham Village Memorial, St Andrew’s Church Memorial, Much Hadham, Stone Bench Plaque, Much Hadham, Congregational Church Memorial, Hadham Cross, Not on the Bishop's Stortford memorials
Pre War
Born in 1899 and baptised on 14 Dec 1899 Holy Trinity, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire son of Alfred Robert and Alice Head later of 68 Tunwell, Ware. In 1901 he was living in Sawbridgeworth and had two sisters, Lily and Violet. In 1911 in Paper Mill Lane, Standon and they now had another daughter Daisy, his father was employed as a cowman. Alfred was originally from Spellbrook near Sawbridgeworth. By the end of the war his family had moved to Tonwell near Ware.
At the time of his death his parents were living at 68 Tunwell(sic), Ware.
Wartime Service
Enlisted at Hertford in May 1915 and became Lance Corporal in June 1917. In January 1917, he was fined 2 days' pay for losing, by neglect, his spoon, comb and shaving brush. In August 1917, he was wounded and on the 11th of September he was granted 10 days furlough, and returned home to Bush Wood Cott in Much Hadham.
At the end of March 1918, the K.R.R.C. were fighting a rear-guard action and suffered over 200 casualties. It was during this time that Alfred was reported missing. He had been captured and taken to Stendal prisoner of war camp. It was at the Stendal camp hospital that he died of pneumonia in July 1918.
Originally Alfred was buried in Colmar Communal Cemetery, his remains were exhumed and moved to Terlincthun British Cemetery at Wimille on July 26th 1963. He was identified from previous headstone.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs Alice Head of 68 Tonwell, Nr Ware, ordered his headstone inscription: "Forever in Our Thoughts".
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, “Lest We Forget – Much Hadham 1914-18” by Richard Maddams (Much Hadham Forge Museum), Terry & Glenis Collins
Marilyn Taylor
