P/1491 Alfred George Mellish and P/1609 Alfred Walker, 16th Middlesex Regiment

Alfred Mellish and Alfred Walker, both pals in the 16th (Public Schools') Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, were killed on 1st July 1916. I've just added an entry for another of their pals - Horace Ham - on my WW1 veterans' blog and it seemed an appropriate time and place to remember the two Alfreds here.

P/1491 Alfred George Mellish
Horace Ham remembered him as the elder of two brothers and a quick check of the medal index cards reveals that his brother was PS/1492 Frederick C Mellish. The 1911 census return (above)shows Alfred (16) and Frederick (13) living with their parents and five siblings at Homeland, Talbot Road, Wembley. Fortunately, Alfred's service record survives in WO 363 and the following information is taken from this.

 

Alfred enlisted in London on the 27th January 1915 giving his home address as Harrowdene Road, Wembley, his occupation as clerk and his age as 20. He was five feet, nine and a quarter inches tall.

 

Alfred arrived in France on the 17th November 1915 and was reported missing on 1st July 1916, presumed dead. His death was accepted for official purposes on 30th March 1917. At some point, his remains must have been discovered and identified because he lies in a named grave shared with another man: 16243 Private John Percival Turner of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who was also killed in action on that terrible day. Alfred's grave reference is A.70; John Turner's A 69.

 

 

P/1609 Alfred Walker

Alfred Walker has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He was also a Wembley man who enlisted at Camden Town. No next of kin details were submitted to the CWGC but fortunately he too has a surviving service record which enables me to give a little more information about him.

 

 

Alfred enlisted on the 22nd February 1916 giving his home address as Rosedale, Eagle Road, Wembley. He was 19 years old, five feet ten inches tall and working as a shop assistant. Like Alfred Mellish, Alfred Walker was initially posted as missing. presumed dead. His death was also accepted for official purposes on 30th March 1917. His next of kin is given as E J Walker of 43 Eagle Road and this is expanded on the helpful but poignant Army Form W.5080. Alfred was the son of Edward John Walker and Annie Walker and the brother of Alice Walker (born c1895), Sidney Walker (born c1897), Albert Edward Walker (born c1900) and May Walker (born c1902).

 

I am please to remember both men on this blog. May they rest in eternal peace.