Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Huckerby, a hosiery trade framework knitter, born in the July quarter of 1855 in Wigston Magna, Leicestershire (son of Henry Huckerby, 1819 and Ann Bruce,1817) and his wife Harriet Huckerby (nee Hurst, married on the 6th April 1874 in All Saint’s Church, Wigston Magna), born in the October quarter of 1855 in Wigston Magna and baptised on the 6th January 1856 in All Saint’s Church, Wigston Magna (daughter of Joseph Hurst, 1828-1859 and Sarah Green, 1830-1915). Alfred Ernest was born in the April quarter of 1898 in Wigston Magna, he had one sibling, Edwin, a yarn winder, born in the January quarter of 1888 in Wigston Magna, in March 1901 the family home was at 10, Moat Street, Horsewell Lane, Wigston Magna. Alfred’s mother died aged 48 years in the April quarter of 1904 in Wigston Magna. In April 1911 Alfred was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 135, Bullhead Street, Wigston Magna, together with his father, a hosiery trade machinist, his step mother Eliza Huckerby (formerly Chapman, nee Whyatt, married in the April quarter of 1909 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born in the October quarter of 1864 in Wigston Magna (daughter of Thomas Whyatt, 1838 and Ann Broughton, 1839) and his step sister, Florence Annie Chapman, a shop assistant, born in the October quarter of 1889 in Wigston Magna.
FAMILY NOTE: Alfred also had the following siblings, Joseph Henry, born on the 3rd September 1874, and baptised on the 1st November 1874 in All Saint’s Church, Wigston Magna, Mary Ann, born on the 13th May 1876, Flora, born in the April quarter of 1878, William John, born in the July quarter of 1880, Oliver, born in the October quarter of 1882 and who died, aged 17 years in the April quarter of 1900 in Wigston Magna, Edwin, born on the 12th December 1884 and baptised on the 3rd May 1885 in All Saint’s Church, Wigston Magna, John, born in the January quarter of 1886 and who died in the January quarter of 1886 in Wigston Magna, Ernest Wilfred, born in the January quarter of 1890 and baptised on the 5th May 1890 in All Saint’s Church, Wigston Magna and who died in the April quarter of 1890 in Wigston Magna and Annie, born in the January quarter of 1893 and who died in the January quarter of 1893 in Wigston Magna, all his siblings were born in Wigston Magna.
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 into the Territorial Force. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 33744.
Transferred. To 2/6th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers (T.F.). Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 38682.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
2/6th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers absorbed by 1/6th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers and became 6th Bn. at Marcelcave. 21/1/18.
Wounded and taken Prisoner of War. Date not known.
Died of wounds. In captivity. Honnechy. 24/3/18.
Buried in Honnechy British Cemetery, Nord, France. Headstone inscription. “Loved, remembered longed for always from his loving sister.”
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Alfred nominated his sister, Mary Ann Ross as his sole legatee.
On Friday March 24th, 1922, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 7, under the heading. – BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. – IN MEMORIAM. – HUCKERBY. - In loving memory of my dear brother, Pte. Ernest A. Huckerby. 6th Lancashire Fusiliers, who died from wounds, March 24th, 1918, at Honecky, [sic] aged 20 years. Unknown to the world he stands by my side. And whispers. My dear one, death cannot divide. – From his loving Sister Pollie and Brother-in-Law Arthur and Nora, 39, Southgate-street.
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