Name
Alfred Edward Page
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/06/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
3/6527
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn. (attached Trench Mortar Battery)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AIRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
III. C. 26.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial,
St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock,
Not on the Clothall Memorials
Pre War
Alfred Edward was born in 1893 (baptised 1 Sep 1895) in Clothall to Frederick Page, a labourer, and Annie Isaline (nee Covington). The family were living at Hickman’s Hill, Clothall.
On the 1901 Census the family consisted of parents, Alfred, his older brothers George and Frederick, and younger brother Frank. Eldest Brother Leonard was working as a barman at Grand Parade, Tottenham. Between 1907 and 1910 the family moved to Prospect Terrace, Baldock. The 1911 Census shows that Alfred was living at Kempston Barracks, Bedford as a Lance Corporal in the Bedfordshire Regiment. His Service number (3/6527) indicates that he enlisted in Apr/May 1910 in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion. Alfred’s family were still in Baldock but only Frank of the older brothers was living at home but there had been the additions of Harry (born 1902), Ethel (born 1905), Willie (born 1907) and Mary (born 1910). Frederick married Phylis A Wissenden in Maidstone in the spring of 1917.
Wartime Service
Alfred was already in the Army on the outbreak of the Great War but there are no Service Records found so there is record of his transfer to 1st Battalion, his promotion to Serjeant, or when he was attached to the Trench Mortar Battery. However in 1918 the 1st battalion had been brought back from the Italian Front to the Ypres area and were involved in the Battle of Hazebrouck in Apr 1918 at the defence of the Nieppe Ford, which stemmed the advance of the German Operation Georgette.
In the War diary of the 1st Battalion there is no mention of the 15th Trench Mortar Battery but there was number of casualties during the period. Alfred was one of those wounded and his death from wounds was reported as 18 Jun 1918.
Additional Information
War Gratuities of £11 & £10 10s and arrears of £14 10s 7d paid to his widow.
Leonard enlisted in May 1915 in Army Service Corps as Private 95485 at Remounts Centre, Romsey but was discharged on 22 May 1915 (unlikely to become soldier). George had enlisted in 1906 in 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regt and had transferred to Regular service (nothing further has been found but he did survive the war). Frank enlisted as Private 3/6527 in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps while underage and was killed in action on 9 Dec 1917.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Neil Cooper
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
