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 Reginald James Agg
Name/Rank: Private Reginald James Agg
Regiment/Battalion: 2/5th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 4651
Date died: 25/09/1916
Buried: Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, La Gorgue, France.
Commemorated: Alderton war memorial and the 1/5th & 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park, Gloucester
Reginald James Agg was born in Alderton in 1896. His parents George and Emma had six other children, Walter, Charlotte, George, Charles, Rosetta and Albert. Next door lived a William and Emma Agg, who were possibly Reginald’s grandparents. The 1911 census shows Reginald living at the Post Office, Alderton with his father, mother and the following siblings, Charlotte (Post Office assistant), Charles (boot repairer), Rosetta (domestic help) and Albert (horseman on farm). Reginald is also listed as a horseman on a farm.
Analysis of Gloucestershire regiment army service numbers suggests that Reginald enlisted in the 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment at Cheltenham, between November and December 1915. The 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment was a territorial battalion formed initially in Gloucester in September 1914 and part of 184th brigade, 61st Division. Following a period of training in England the battalion landed in France in May 1916.
During September 1916 the 2/5th battalion were in and out of the line in the Laventie sector, Northern France. On the night of 25th September Reginald’s battalion were holding trenches at Mauquissart when the Germans blew a mine under the trenches killing six members of the battalion. One of these six was Reginald Agg. He is buried alongside his five mates at Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, a short distance from the trenches where he was killed.
Following Reginald’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £5 5s 8d and £3 that were paid to his mother Emma in December 1916 and August 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of Reginald’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants. In addition, a pension of 10/- in respect of Reginald Agg was awarded to George Agg from 25/01/19 for life.
Reginald was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Reginald Agg is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial, the 1/5th and 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park and is buried in the Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, La Gorgue, France.
Regiment/Battalion: 2/5th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 4651
Date died: 25/09/1916
Buried: Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, La Gorgue, France.
Commemorated: Alderton war memorial and the 1/5th & 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park, Gloucester
Reginald James Agg was born in Alderton in 1896. His parents George and Emma had six other children, Walter, Charlotte, George, Charles, Rosetta and Albert. Next door lived a William and Emma Agg, who were possibly Reginald’s grandparents. The 1911 census shows Reginald living at the Post Office, Alderton with his father, mother and the following siblings, Charlotte (Post Office assistant), Charles (boot repairer), Rosetta (domestic help) and Albert (horseman on farm). Reginald is also listed as a horseman on a farm.
Analysis of Gloucestershire regiment army service numbers suggests that Reginald enlisted in the 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment at Cheltenham, between November and December 1915. The 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment was a territorial battalion formed initially in Gloucester in September 1914 and part of 184th brigade, 61st Division. Following a period of training in England the battalion landed in France in May 1916.
During September 1916 the 2/5th battalion were in and out of the line in the Laventie sector, Northern France. On the night of 25th September Reginald’s battalion were holding trenches at Mauquissart when the Germans blew a mine under the trenches killing six members of the battalion. One of these six was Reginald Agg. He is buried alongside his five mates at Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, a short distance from the trenches where he was killed.
Following Reginald’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £5 5s 8d and £3 that were paid to his mother Emma in December 1916 and August 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of Reginald’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants. In addition, a pension of 10/- in respect of Reginald Agg was awarded to George Agg from 25/01/19 for life.
Reginald was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Reginald Agg is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial, the 1/5th and 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park and is buried in the Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, La Gorgue, France.
