Name
Alfred Bishop
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/03/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266184
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
4 Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
VII. AA. 21.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
4 Coy Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Codicote Village Memorial, Codicote Peace Memorial Hall, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Welwyn Village memorials
Pre War
Alfred Bishop was born in 1892 in Codicote, Herts, the son of William and Sarah Bishop and was baptised at St Giles, Codicote on 27 March 1892.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at High Heath Cottages, Codicote, where his father was working as a farm labourer. His 18 year old brother Arthur was also working as an agricultural labourer.
His mother died in 1906 and by the 1911 Census, Alfred was living with his widowed father and siblings at High Heath, Codicote and working as a domestic gardener.
On enlistment he gave his place of residence as Welwyn, however Codicote was in the postal area of Welwyn and he may still have been living in Codicote. It was reported that enlisted 26 November 1914.
Wartime Service
Alfred enlisted in Hertford and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment under reg no. 266184.
He was given home leave in December 1917.
On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched a massive offensive which within hours involved the 116th Brigade of the 39th Division VII Corps in the 5th Army of which the 1st Battalion of the Hertfordshires was part. This later became known as the The Battle of St Quentin (21 March) followed by actions of the Somme Crossing (24 March) both part of the First Battle of the Somme 1918. The Battalion were subjected to intense enemy bombardment and suffered large numbers of casualties, losing nearly all its officers, and retreated from the area of Villers Faucon back between Rancourt and Clery.
Alfred was one of the casualties. He was wounded and taken to the 41st Stationary Hospital near Dernacourt, south-west of Albert where he died of his wounds on 26 March 1918.
He is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £15 and pay owing of £9 13s 8d. He also received a pension of 5 shillings a week. His father William remained living in Codicote until his death in 1939. Brother of Arthur Bishop who served with the Royal Fusiliers and died of wounds on 24 August 1918. His brother Herbert Cecil (sometimes known as Cecil Herbert) served with the Royal Engineers and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Dunne, Sian Williams, Brenda Palmer, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
