Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Richard Fletcher, a carpenter, born in the January quarter of 1862 in Loughborough, Leicestershire (son of William Fletcher, 1823 and Fanny Tinkler, 1824) and his wife Ann (Annie) Elizabeth Fletcher (nee Levers, married in the October quarter of 1883 in Loughborough), born on the 3rd January 1861 in Loughborough (daughter of George Levers, 1828 and Sarah Louisa Clarke, 1827). Alfred George, a schoolboy, was born in the April quarter of 1885 in Loughborough, his siblings were, Richard, born in the January quarter of 1887 and Wilfred, born in the October quarter of 1889, both his siblings were born in Loughborough, in April 1891 the family home was at 5, Canal Bank, Bridge Street, All Saint’s, Loughborough. In March 1901 Alfred was employed as a rate collector’s clerk and was residing in the family home at 27, Shakespeare Street, All Saint’s, Loughborough, together with his father, a joiner and builder, his mother and siblings, Wilfred and Ada Louisa, born on the 8th February 1895 in Loughborough. In April 1911 Alfred was absent from the family home at 49, William Street, Loughborough, residing there was his father, a carpenter and joiner, his mother and siblings, Wilfred, an electric crane manufacturer’s fitter and Ada, a hosiery trade warehouse worker, meanwhile Alfred was employed as an assistant overseer for the Borough of Kingston on Thames, Surrey and was residing as a boarder at 91, Richmond Road, Kingston on Thames.
Alfred enlisted/attested into the Territorial Force on the 9th September 1914 in Twickenham, and was allotted the regimental service number R/798. He gave his place of birth as Loughborough, Leicestershire and age as 29 years 4 months. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as assistant overseer, presently in the employ of Kingston Corporation. He gave his present address as 2, Chesham Road, Kingston on Thames.
He confirmed that he had previously served with -?- for 3 years.
His medical inspection record gave his full name as Alfred George Fletcher, his apparent age as 29 years, his height as 5-foot 11½ inches, his chest measurement as 34½ inches to 37 inches, his vision as good and his physical development as -?-.
He was certified as fit for the Territorial Force. Date 9th September 1914. Place -?-.
He gave his next of kin as his father, George Fletcher, 49, William Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire.
The compilation of events that occurred during his period of military service are taken from the following sources: - Casualty Form – Active Service (B.103). Statement of the Services of. Military History Sheet.
Joined. At Twickenham. 9/9/14.
Posted. 8th Reserve Bn. Middlesex Regt. Pte. 9/9/14.
Embodied service commenced. 9/9/14.
Transferred. To Home Counties Divisional Signal Company, Royal Engineers. Sapper. Allotted service number 1326. 4/12/14.
Transferred. To 28th Divisional Signal Company. Appointed Acting Lance Corporal. (unpaid). 6/3/15.
Appointed. Lance Corporal (paid). To complete establishment. 20/12/15.
Under the Army Council Instruction of 1917 that promulgated a new numbering system for all Territorial Force units, he was allotted the service number 538218.
Appointed. Acting 2nd Corporal (paid). 3/10/17.
Promoted. 2nd Corporal. (Under Army Council Instruction 1767 of 1917). 3/10/17.
Embarked. From Salonika for UK via Taranto with a view to leave in UK on compassionate grounds, with organized leave party. To be credited with ration allowance for period of leave in UK. No ration allowance to be paid prior to embarkation. 2/8/18.
Transferred. Signal Section Training Centre, Bedford. 20/8/18.
Died from malaria and enteric fever at his home. 29/8/18.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 9/9/14 – 14/1/15. 128 days.
Expeditionary Force, France. 15/1/15 – 5/11/15. 295 days.
Route to Egypt. 6/11/15 –
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
Route to Salonika.
Balkan Expeditionary Force.
Leave to England. 19/8/18. 2 years 287 days.
England. 20/8/18 – 29/8/18. 10 days.
Total Service. 3 years 355 days.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
SERVICE RECORD NOTE: In September 1940, as the result of a fire caused by an incendiary bomb at the War Office Record Store in Arnside Street, London, approximately two thirds of 6.5 million soldiers’ documents for the First World War were destroyed. Those records which survived were mostly charred or water damaged and unfit for consultation and became known as the “burnt documents.” As a consequence, the content and condition of the surviving records can range from good to extremely poor. The hand written information is, in some instances barely legible, and the number of pages that should comprise a full record, in some cases are either badly damaged or missing entirely, however where possible the available information has been transcribed so that it may at least offer the reader a little descriptive insight into some, if not all of the events and background information surrounding the period of service.
On Friday December 17th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page four, under the heading. – LOUGHBOROUGH CORPORAL IN THE EAST. – Corpl. Alfred Fletcher, who is with the signalling section of the Royal Engineers in the Balkans, writing home to his parents in Loughborough, says: - After a varied voyage arrived here on 29th November. The first five days were best, and we were going about with as little clothing as possible. The sixth day a fog came on so thick we had to stop the ship and sit tight. That night it rained; next morning we woke to find a coating of ice everywhere and a snowstorm blowing in the gale. Later in the day we anchored outside the harbour, and behind the town range after range of vast snow-covered mountains greeted us. Then commenced the work of unloading, and as it is such a small quay and the British have use of only a small part of it, we landed in “lighters.” They are like big barges driven by oil engines. We had to get aboard them by using rope ladders from the ship, and I never again want to experience the repetition of going down that flimsy ladder, swaying in the wind, and with what looked a mile or two drop below. Anyway, we got on to the lighter at 11a.m., and although only 1½ miles from land the port was so congested with traffic that we landed at 7.30p.m., cold to the bone. Then it was too late to go to our camp, so we had to go back to the ship and stay the night there. All the time we were on the voyage we had real good food, every meal hot, and porridge for breakfast. Yesterday found us at our camp on the frosty, snow-clad mountains. Our first job was to pitch a tent, and the frosty ground made it a rotten job. Still, we got it up at last, and as there were 16 of us in it, we slept warm enough, but going to bed and getting up are cold jobs, I can tell you.
[recognitum XIII-XI-MMXXII]