Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Estcourt Boucher a Church of England clergyman, born 1857 in Cheddleton, Staffs., and his wife Louisa Mary, born 1853 in Everton, Lancs. Alan Estcourt Boucher was born in 1895 in Frolesworth, Leics., his siblings were Alyson M. E., born 1893, Robin, E., born 1894 and Sybil E., born 1897, all his siblings were born in Frolesworth, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Frolesworth, Leics. In April 1911 Alan was a student at The College, Marlborough, Wilts. He was the youngest surviving son of the Reverend Canon Charles Estcourt Boucher, Rector of Frolesworth, and his wife Louisa Mary who was the daughter of the late Reverend William Henry Wright. Alan was educated at Bilton Grange, near Rugby, Warwks., and Marlborough College where he was a Foundation Scholar, and for five years a member of the O.T.C., and spent one term at Aspatria Agricultural College. He volunteered for foreign service upon the outbreak of war and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment on the 19th September 1914, he was promoted to Lieutenant on the 10th November 1914 and to Captain on the 3rd February 1915. He served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the 30th July 1915 and died at Rouen on the 25th July 1916 from the wounds he received in action on the 14th July in Bazentin-le-Petit Wood, France, when the wood and village were captured. He was buried at Rouen. His Colonel wrote, “Your son was always so bright and cheery, and was a most excellent Company Commander, so that I feel his loss a great deal from that point of view, as well as personally.” And a brother officer wrote, “He was loved and respected by everyone he came in contact with. . . . . I don’t think any officer or man in the British Army did his duty more conscientiously than he.” Alan was unmarried. The War Diary entry for the 14th July 1916 records. FRICOURT. Battalion moved off at 12.15am and moved up to the southern edge of MAMETZ WOOD. Fairly heavy shelling. They reached the reserve position MAMETZ WOOD 500 yards west of the front edge at 3.20am just as intense bombardment of German trenches began, and either went into existing trenches or dug in. At 5.20am “B” Company (Captain ANDERSON) and 1 platoon of “A” Company moved over to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD to reinforce the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. They finally reached the north of the wood of village and as far as possible dug themselves in. They were mixed up with the 6th, 7th and 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. Heavy casualties including all Company officers. At 6.00am remainder of “A” Company moved to German 1st line trench and started to consolidate it. 2 platoons of “C” Company taken to Brigade HQ for carrying. At 8.15am Lt. Col. HAIG with “D” Company and ½ of “C” Company moved to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. Lt. Col. HAIG had orders to take over defence on the north western and western edge of the wood which was being heavily shelled. At 8.45am “D” Company (Lt. NOLAN) directed on the north western corner of the wood to clear wood and dig in on the edge. 2 platoons of “C” Company in support trench with Battalion HQ. Between 9.00am and 12.00 noon “D” Company met with heavy opposition and reached forward support line but failed to clear wood. Lt. NOLAN was killed. Lt. de LISLE and Lt. SMITH were wounded. Between 12.00 noon and 3.00pm Germans threatened counter attack, very heavy shelling of all lines. “A” Company brought to Battalion HQ and 2 platoons sent to reinforce 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. At 12.00 noon Col. KUMME, 2 officers and 30 men captured by “D” Company. Between 4.00pm and 7.00pm Brigadier came and ordered all available men to attack the north western edge of the wood. Lt. Col. HAIG, Captain EMMETT and 2nd Lt. STEPHENS with about 50 men advanced roping in about 100 men of 1st EAST YORKSHIRE REGT as supports. Captain EMMETT with 40 men reached the north western edge of the wood and killed 4 German observers and attempted to charge the German trenches 50 yards from the edge of the wood. Captain EMMETT and 36 men were killed by machine gun fire. Meanwhile Lt. Col. HAIG with the 1st EAST YORKSHIRE REGT and a few of the 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT had reached the railway line and came under enfilade machine gun fire (Lt. STEPHENS was killed). The edge of the wood close to the village was cleared and a small drive was organised towards Captain EMMETTS party. They came under heavy sniping fire and Lt. HINCKLEY was wounded and most of his men killed or wounded. 7.00pm All posts started consolidating where they were. Patrols sent out constantly from the strong posts. Rough positions as below (On the Battalion Diary page a rough sketch shows the positions of the Companies) Between 9.00pm and 11.00pm heavy shelling and enemy rifle fire but no actual organised attack.