Name
Alfred Leonard Mansell
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/10/1918
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
L/13211
London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE
IX. A. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
"LIFE'S BACK WELL RUN LIFE'S WORK WELL DONE NOW COMES REST"
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial, Christ Church (formerly Holy Trinity Church) Memorial Waltham Cross
Pre War
Alfred Leonard Mansell was born in Paddington, Lon/Middx, in 1889, son of Alfred Leonard Andronicus Mansell a House Painter and Rosa Alice Mansell (nee Meering). The eldest of eight children although three died in infancy.
He was Baptised at Waltham Cross, Herts, on 7th September 1890, with his sister Edith Maud Mansell.
1891 Census records Alfred Jr. aged 2, living with his parents, and sister Edith, 8 Monthe at, 20 Cecil Road, Cheshunt, Herts. His Grandfather Alfred Herbert Mansell (66), an Artist was living with the family.
1901 Census Alfred Jr. aged 11, is living with his parents, sisters Maud (10), Alice (1), brothers Charles (7) and Cecil (4) at, 19 Lordship Road, Cheshunt, Herts.
About 1908 Albert Jr. enlisted at Hounslow, Middx, at the Head Quarters of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), issued with the service number 13211, ( at the outbreak of war his service number was prefixed with letter "L" to indicate a regular soldier, L/13211).
1911 Census records Alfred Jr. aged 21, single, a Private, with the 2nd Battalion, Royal fusiliers, stationed at Hugh Rose Barracks, Jubbulpore, India, but absent from the Barracks on the night of the census, as he was out on patrol at Mount Ava, Rajputana, India.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Alfred Jr. was a L/Cpl with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers stationed at Calcutta, India. They were mobilized for war and as soon as a Territorial Unit arrived to relieve the barracks, they sailed for England, arriving in December 1914. They were training at Stockingford, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, for France, when they were Mobilized for Gallipoli. Embarking at Avonmouth, in March 1915 for Gallipoli, via Malta and Alexandria they arrived at Mudros on the island of Lemnos on 11th April 1915, landing at Cape Hellos, Gallipoli, on 25th April 1915. The Battalion was involved in heavy fighting until they were evacuated on the nights of 7th & 8th January 1916. They sailed from Lemnos to Egypt where they stayed until March 1916, when they sailed for Marseilles, France, from there they travelled by train to an area East of Pont Remy, arriving in late March 1916. In July 1916 they were in action at the Battle of the Somme. 1917 they were in action at the Battles of Arras, Ypres and Cambria. 1918 they saw action throughout the year.
Sergeant Alfred Leonard Mansell died in hospital of Pneumonia on 30th October 1918, He is buried in the CWGC Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France.
Additional Information
His mother Rose Alice Mansell received a dependents pension of 5/- a week from23rd April 1919, and his effects of £33-8-00, pay owing and his war gratuity of £27-10-00. She also ordered his headstone inscription while living at 6 Cecil Road, Waltham Cross, Herts., it reads: ""LIFE'S BACK WELL RUN LIFE'S WORK WELL DONE NOW COMES REST".
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
