Name
Alfred George Pegram (or Pegrum)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/05/1915
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/7036
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 49 and 51
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hunsdon War Memorial Memorial Plaque, St Dunstan’s Church, Hunsdon, Not on the Ware memorials, Not on the Widford memorials
Pre War
Born in 1880, in Widford(*1) to parents James and Ann, in 1881 they were living in Ware Road, Widford. He had five brothers and two sisters.
In the 1891 and 1901 census they were living at Filletts Farm, in Widford, his father was first employed as a farm labourer but moved on to become a horse keeper, whilst Alfred became a domestic groom. In 1902, Alfred married Alice Frances Rayner, from Twickenham, and they were both living with his family, in Hunsdon, in 1911, with their six year old son, also called Alfred. His father was now a roadman working for H.C.C. At the time of Alfred’s death he was shown to be living in Bush Hill Park Road, Middx. His enlistment records show Alfred as born in Ware(*1).
Wartime Service
Alfred joined the Middlesex Regiment at the end of 1914 and was posted to the 3rd Battalion.
After training he was sent to France, arriving in April 1915. As part of the 85th Brigade they were stationed at St Jean les Ypres when the Germans attacked on May 8th, a very heavy artillery bombardment was followed by a gas attack and on the third attempt the German troops broke through the British lines pushing back the 84th Brigade and leaving a two-mile gap in the British lines. The 3rd Middlesex had been in reserve but were called on to prevent a further breakthrough and with a counter attack prevented the enemy from making any more progress. During this fighting Alfred was killed, his body was not found and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate.
Additional Information
*1 there are conflicting records of the location of Alfred's birth.
Acknowledgments
Terry & Glenis Collins, Malcolm Lennox
