Name
Alfred Joseph Campbell
1864
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/11/1917
54
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
S/5164
Rifle Brigade
15th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
SOUTH MIMMS (ST. GILES) CHURCHYARD
In South East part.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
"JOINED KITCHENERS ARMY 28TH OCTOBER 1914"
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the South Mimms memorials(*1)
Pre War
We believe this to be the A. J. Campbell, buried in St. Giles Churchyard, South Mimms.
Alfred Joseph CAMPBELL was born 1864, in Kennington, London, Surrey. Son of George Charles Campbell a Woollen Draper later a Commercial Traveller and Elizabeth Campbell (nee Smith). One of eight children.
1871 Census records Alfred aged 7, living with his parents, four brothers and three sisters, in Oxford Terrace, Lambeth, London, Surrey.
His father George Charles Campbell died in 1876, aged 54.
1881 Census, Alfred (16) is employed as a Commercial Clerk at a Woollen Cloths Company, living with his Widowed mother, brothers George (27), William (19) and sister Alice (14), (all three brothers are employed in the woollen clothed industry) and living at 98 Fentiman Road, Lambeth, London, Surrey. The family have a live-in Domestic Servant.
1891 Census, Alfred (27), a Woolen Drapers Assistant is still living at home with his widowed mother, brother William (29), at 17 Winterwell Road, Lambeth, London, Surrey. They have a live-in General Servant.
In 1901, Alfred is recorded as living with his brother William (39) at 11 Grays Inn Place, Holborn, London, Middlesex. Both brothers are single and recorded as Press Photographers.
Alfred Married Jane Thornton on 13th August 1910, at Fulham, London, Middlesex. Jane came from Cork, Co Cork, Ireland. He was 45 and Jane was 24.
His service record indicates he was a Corporal with the City of London (Rough Riders) Territorial Force, he was discharged on 25th January 1911, on his own request, aged 47.
1911 Census records Alfred (46) married to Jane, his occupation is a technical photographer, and they were living at 69 Harbord Street, Fulham, London, Middlesex.
Wartime Service
Alfred enlisted on 28th October 1914, in London, posted to the Army Reserve (Special Reservist) Rifle Brigade and issued with the service number S/5614. He joined at the Regimental Depot at Winchester on 29th October 1914, resuming his former Rank of Corporal. He was promoted unpaid Acting Sergeant on 12th November 1914, in January 1915, he was posted to the 15th Battalion, at Southend, and promoted paid Sergeant at the end of the month. The 15th Battalion would later move to Belhus Park and then to Seaford. On 12th May 1916 Alfred was discharged under Para 392 (xvi) no longer physically fit for war service, and issued with the Silver War Badge No 18636, on his discharge. At the time of his discharge, he was serving with “D” Company, 15th Battalion, Rifle Brigade.
Alfred was later admitted to Clare Hall Sanatorium, South Mimms, Herts, suffering with Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB), where he died on 25th November 1917. He was buried in St Giles Churchyard, South Mimms, on 29th November 1917, aged 53.
Additional Information
Jane was awarded a grant of £5, on 22nd April 1918, and a widow’s pension of 16/3 a week later increased to 36/8 (£1-16s-08d), from 17th April 1918. At the time Jane was living at 3 Oaklands Grove, Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, London.
Alfred was not awarded a medal as he did not serve overseas.
His service record is available on-line at Find My Past UK www.findmypast.co.uk and Ancestry UK www.ancestry.co.uk.
*1 Alfred's grave (not CWGC) bears an inscription which is difficult to reads, but appears to be:
IN LOVING REMEBRANCE OF
ALFRED JOSEPH CAMPBELL
LATE SERGT.15TH BATTN. RIFLE BRIGADE
WHO DIED IN SOUTH MIMMS NOV. 25TH 1917
AGED 54 YEARS
The remainder is not readable from the images that we have.
His CWGC, Grave Registration Card states, Grave Inscription “JOINED KITCHENERS ARMY 28TH OCTOBER 1914”
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
