Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Alfred Oldershaw, a bread baker, born on the 16th April 1859 in Countesthorpe, Leicestershire (son of William Henshaw Oldershaw, 1813-1878 and Elizabeth Mounteney, 1823-1899) and his wife Lillie Oldershaw (nee Hartnell, married in the October quarter of 1882 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born 1862 in Hemyock, Devon (daughter of William Hartnell, 1813-1865 and Mary Anne Wensley, 1819-1866). Alfred was born in the January quarter of 1893 in Countesthorpe, his siblings were, Ethel, a stocking frame knitter, born in the April quarter of 1883 in Wigston, Leicestershire, William, a bread baker, born in the October quarter of 1884, Eliza, a stocking frame knitter, born on the 14th August 1886, Thomas, born on the 22nd February 1888, John, born on the 30th January 1889, Mary Hartnell, born on the 10th March 1891, Harry, born in the April quarter of 1895, Annie, born on the 17th June 1897 and Arthur, born on the 10th March 1900, the latter eight siblings were all born in Countesthorpe, in March 1901 the family home was in Cox, Lane, Countesthorpe. In the January quarter of 1911 Alfred’s mother died in Countesthorpe, aged 49. In April 1911 Alfred was employed as a mechanical engineer, and was residing in the family home at Coxs Lane, Countesthorpe, together with his widowed father, a baker, and his siblings, Eliza, a house keeper, Thomas, a baker’s assistant, John, a house painter, Mary, a hosiery trade machinist, Harry, a hosiery trade worker, Annie, a hosiery trade mender, Arthur, a schoolboy, and Una, a schoolgirl, born on the 7th February 1904 in Countesthorpe. In the January quarter of 1913, Alfred’s father married Sarah Ward in Leicester, Sarah was born in 6th December 1869 in Countesthorpe. His brother Harry died on the 22nd February 1915 from wounds received in action.
Alfred’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested. In Leicester. Date not known.
Allotted. Service number. 25588.
Posted. Corps of Royal Engineers. Sapper.
First entered the theatre of war in. France. 5/10/14.
Posted. 55th Company, Corps of Royal Engineers.
Promoted. Lance Corporal. Date not known.
Wounded in action. In the Field. Date not known.
Died of wounds. In St. Omer. 28/10/15.
Buried in Longuenesse (St. Omer) Cemetery, France. Headstone inscription “He gave his life freely for his country.”
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Tuesday, November 2nd, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – THE ROLL OF HONOUR – Lance-Corporal A. OLDERSHAW, of the 55th Company, R.E., whose parents live at Countesthorpe, died of wounds in hospital in France on Thursday last. The deceased had been at the front about a year.