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 Alfred Victor Grimmett
Name/Rank: Private Alfred Victor Grimmett
Regiment/Battalion: 8th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 17237
Date died: 21st October 1918
Buried/Commemorated: Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension
Commemorated: Alderton War memorial and on the Tewkesbury Grammar school memorial. Alfred 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.
Alfred Grimmett was born in December 1894 in Alderton. His parents Samuel and Millicent had a total of nine children, though by 1911 only seven were still living. Between 1901 and 1911 Alfred was living at Alstone Fields Farm with his parents and siblings which included brothers Wilfred and Cyril and sisters Millicent, Ruby and Winnifred. Alfred’s younger brother Aldred was living in Alderton with his Aunt and Uncle Thomas and Joan Sharp, who was Alfred’s father’s sister. Records suggest that Aldred had been adopted by the Sharps. Alfred is listed on the Tewkesbury Grammer School register between 1907 and 1913, though the 1911 census has his occupation as farmer’s son working on the farm.
Analysis of Gloucestershire regiment army service numbers suggests that Alfred enlisted in the Gloucestershire regiment at Tewkesbury in December 1914, initially with the 9th and 2/5th battalions before being transferred to the 8th battalion, which was part of 57th brigade, 19th (Western) Division. Alfred arrived in France on 20th September 1915 which qualified him for the 1914-15 Star medal. At some time during his war service, he was promoted to acting (unpaid) Lance Corporal.
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. On the 19th October the 8th Gloucestershire regiment paraded near the village of Haussy, east of Cambrai, in readiness for an attack the next day. On the 20th they took part in the general attack crossing the river Selle successfully taking the village of Haussy. During the attack the battalion lost twelve men killed, one of whom was Alfred Grimmett. Alfred is buried in Romeries Communal cemetery extension alongside six of his battalion comrades.
Following Alfred’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £44 16s 9d & £2 10s 8d that were paid to his mother Millicent in February and March 1919 respectively. These payments would likely have been the remains of Alfred’s army pay and also a war gratuity of £22 10s paid out to soldiers and their dependants. No pension records for Alfred Grimmett have been found.
Alfred was entitled to the 1914-1915 Star and the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Alfred is commemorated on the Alderton War memorial, and on the Tewkesbury Grammar school memorial. Alfred 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.
Alfred's father paid for a private inscription on the gravestones of both his sons, which reads "Rest in peace".
