Name
Alfred Mabbitt
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/03/1915
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7114
Princess Charlotte of Wales’ (Royal Berkshire) Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 30.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Baldock, St Faith’s Church Memorial, Walsworth, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin(*1)
Pre War
Alfred Mabbitt was born in Baldock in 1882, the son of Herbert and Ruth Mabbitt, and was baptised on 26 March 1882 in Baldock.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Bygrave Lane, Baldock where his father was working as a bricklayer. His mother died in 1890 and his father remarried later the same year to Ellen Street. By 1891 Alfred had moved to London and was recorded as a boarder at the home of Mr and Mrs Darby at 70 Southampton Road, St Pancras. London, where he was working as a horse keeper /groom. Alfred then joined the army and his reg, no. of 7114 suggests he enlisted in early 1903. He was recorded on the 1911 Census as a private with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment stationed in Meerut, India.
Wartime Service
It is likely Alfred was a serving soldier at the outbreak of war, although he may have been a reservist who was recalled for duty. The Regiment was part of the 25th Brigade in the 8th Division of IV Corps of the 1st Army.
Alfred was killed in action on 15 March 1915. The day of his death coincides with the 8th Division being in Neuve Chapelle towards the end of the battle for the village. The Germans had recaptured it on 14 March 1915 and the British drove them out again on 15 March 1915. As usual the casualties were heavy. The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Berkshires were in support positions on the eastern edge of Neuve Chapelle on 12 March but in the fighting of 10 to 15 March they lost 328 killed, wounded and missing. On the 15th the Battalion remained in trenches but sustained two killed and ten wounded.
Alfred has no known grave but his name is commemorated on Panel 30 of Le Touret Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £5 4s 3d.
Half brother to Charles Mabbitt who served with the North Staffordshire Regiment and died 1 May 1915.
N.B. The medal index card suggests that Alfred served in France from 17 December 1915, however this must be a mistake and should be December 1914 as he died in March 1915.
*1 The name ‘Albert D Mabbith’ appears on the St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin. This was produced for 2014. The name does not appear on any other Hitchin memorial. Searches for the name and some variations were made in the following resources: Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC), Soldiers/Officers/Sailors/Airmen Died In The Great War (SDITGW), and Western Front Association Pension Cards (WFA). These searches found no one of that name,
We believe that this name should read 'Alfred Mabbitt', and should be associated with this biography. We have therefore added 'Hitchin' to Albert Mabbitt's - i.e. this biography.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Cilla Dyson David C Baines, 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment War Diary, Popular History of the Great War by J.A. Hammerton, Jonty Wild
