Alderton's WW1 War Dead
Below are the biographical and military details of the sixteen men listed on the Alderton War memorial. I have also included two men whose names do not appear on the Alderton village memorial. Only one of the two Grimmett brothers appears on the memorial, so details of both are included below, and Jesse James, who was born in Alderton but lived in Stanton, where he is commemorated.
Private Aldred Vincent Grimmett
Name/Rank: Private Aldred Vincent Grimmett
Regiment/Battalion: 13th battalion Royal Fusiliers regiment
Service No: G/65012
Date died: 23rd August 1918
Buried/Commemorated: Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, France
Commemorated: Memorial plaque in St. Margaret's church in Alderton, and on his adopted father’s gravestone. Aldred is also commemorated on the Tewkesbury Grammar school memorial. Aldred is remembered in the book “A Noble Band of Heroes” by John Dixon which commemorates the men from Tewkesbury who lost their lives in WW1.
Aldred Grimmett was born in March 1898 at Rectory Barn, Alderton. His parents Samuel and Millicent had a total of nine children, though by 1911 only seven were still living. By 1901 Aldred was living with Thomas and Joan Sharp his uncle and aunt, Thomas was a baker. Joan was his father’s sister and it’s likely that Thomas and Joan adopted Aldred as they had no children of their own. In 1911 Aldred was living with his uncle and aunt and is listed on the Tewkesbury Grammar School register for 1911-1913.
Aldred volunteered in December 1914, enlisting at Grove Park in London even though he was still living officially in Alderton. His casualty record suggests that he was initially assigned to a Mechanical Transport Company in the Army Service Corps (No. M2/268037). Later in the war Aldred was transferred to the infantry, initially posted to an Infantry Base Depot with the number 268037 before being assigned to the 13th battalion The Royal Fusiliers, forming part of 112th brigade, 37th Division. From analysis of Aldred’s army service number, it’s likely he joined the battalion in France in late 1916 or 1917.
By August 1918 the British and Allied forces had started a series of attacks that became known as the 100 days offensive and saw the Germans being pushed back as along the whole of the Western Front. During August 1918 the 13th Royal Fusiliers were involved in the Battle of Albert. In the early morning of 23rd August, the battalion attacked the enemy near Achiet-le-Grand. Although the attack was a success and the objectives were gained the battalion lost thirty-one men killed, one of whom was Aldred Grimmett. Aldred is buried in Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension alongside all thirty-one of his battalion comrades.
Following Aldred’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £6 2s 7d & £8 that were paid to his Aunt Joan in 1919. The first payment would likely have been the remains of Aldred’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants.
Aldred was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Aldred is currently only commemorated on a memorial plaque in St. Margarets church in Alderton, and on his adopted father’s gravestone. Aldred is also commemorated on the Tewkesbury Grammar school memorial. Aldred is remembered in the book “A Noble Band of Heroes” by John Dixon which commemorates the men from Tewkesbury who lost their lives in WW1.
Aldred's father paid for a private inscription on the gravestones of both his sons, which reads "Rest in peace".
Aldred’s adopted father Thomas Sharp’s funeral notice in the Cheltenham Chronicle of 1st November 1919, noted that “For some time past Mr Sharp had been in failing health and succumbed to a heart attack; in fact he had never been his former self since the death of his nephew and adopted son, Aldred Grimmett, a bright and promising youth who fell in the Great War.”
Regiment/Battalion: 13th battalion Royal Fusiliers regiment
Service No: G/65012
Date died: 23rd August 1918
Buried/Commemorated: Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, France
Commemorated: Memorial plaque in St. Margaret's church in Alderton, and on his adopted father’s gravestone. Aldred is also commemorated on the Tewkesbury Grammar school memorial. Aldred is remembered in the book “A Noble Band of Heroes” by John Dixon which commemorates the men from Tewkesbury who lost their lives in WW1.
Aldred Grimmett was born in March 1898 at Rectory Barn, Alderton. His parents Samuel and Millicent had a total of nine children, though by 1911 only seven were still living. By 1901 Aldred was living with Thomas and Joan Sharp his uncle and aunt, Thomas was a baker. Joan was his father’s sister and it’s likely that Thomas and Joan adopted Aldred as they had no children of their own. In 1911 Aldred was living with his uncle and aunt and is listed on the Tewkesbury Grammar School register for 1911-1913.
Aldred volunteered in December 1914, enlisting at Grove Park in London even though he was still living officially in Alderton. His casualty record suggests that he was initially assigned to a Mechanical Transport Company in the Army Service Corps (No. M2/268037). Later in the war Aldred was transferred to the infantry, initially posted to an Infantry Base Depot with the number 268037 before being assigned to the 13th battalion The Royal Fusiliers, forming part of 112th brigade, 37th Division. From analysis of Aldred’s army service number, it’s likely he joined the battalion in France in late 1916 or 1917.
By August 1918 the British and Allied forces had started a series of attacks that became known as the 100 days offensive and saw the Germans being pushed back as along the whole of the Western Front. During August 1918 the 13th Royal Fusiliers were involved in the Battle of Albert. In the early morning of 23rd August, the battalion attacked the enemy near Achiet-le-Grand. Although the attack was a success and the objectives were gained the battalion lost thirty-one men killed, one of whom was Aldred Grimmett. Aldred is buried in Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension alongside all thirty-one of his battalion comrades.
Following Aldred’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £6 2s 7d & £8 that were paid to his Aunt Joan in 1919. The first payment would likely have been the remains of Aldred’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants.
Aldred was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Aldred is currently only commemorated on a memorial plaque in St. Margarets church in Alderton, and on his adopted father’s gravestone. Aldred is also commemorated on the Tewkesbury Grammar school memorial. Aldred is remembered in the book “A Noble Band of Heroes” by John Dixon which commemorates the men from Tewkesbury who lost their lives in WW1.
Aldred's father paid for a private inscription on the gravestones of both his sons, which reads "Rest in peace".
Aldred’s adopted father Thomas Sharp’s funeral notice in the Cheltenham Chronicle of 1st November 1919, noted that “For some time past Mr Sharp had been in failing health and succumbed to a heart attack; in fact he had never been his former self since the death of his nephew and adopted son, Aldred Grimmett, a bright and promising youth who fell in the Great War.”
