Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Alfred was born in Thornhaugh, Northamptonshire on 25 March 1889 to John Harry and Elizabeth Browett (nee Coe). He was one of eleven children. Alfred is listed on the 1911 Census as a domestic groom, his father was a woodman for Earl Fitzwilliam of Milton Hall, Peterborough.

Alfred served from 3 September 1914 to 3 July 1919. He enlisted in the 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment and joined the British Expeditionary Force in France on 26 July 1915. He remained there for twelve months before being repatriated home from Rouen suffering from shellshock and was hospitalised for nearly two months.  He passed through Peterborough East Station and signed the visitors’ book on 2 November 1916, writing “Here’s good luck to G E R soldiers rest, The Lasses as well
And may thy have a jolly xmas And a good year as well”.  He passed through again two weeks later on 16 November 1916, (The visitors’ book can be searched by date) and wrote another entry:

“When winter storms are past and gone
Shall Gentle calm succeed.
I am told to rest a weary mind
Sleep is the friend I need
With these few words, I give a line
You shall in them a question find
My question pays to find it out
Love is the question without a doubt”

In July 1917, Alfred had a brief transfer to the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment, 1st (Home Service) Garrison Battalion. He moved to the 6th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment at Rochester and served a further nine months with No 3 Service Company, 1st Home Service General Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, until June 1918. He was then temporarily transferred to the Military Foot Police at Cherbourg before being demobilised in July 1919.

Alfred was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medal and the 1914-15 Star.

We have traced Alfred on the 1939 Register and he is living at 9 Thornhaugh Road, Barnack RD, Northamptonshire; he is single and employed as a gardener.  He is living with William Browett, born 2 February 1895, who is also single and working as a farm labourer.

Alfred married Eliza Jane Culpin on 28 July 1944 at Thornhaugh Parish Church.

His brother, George Harry Browett died on 14 July 1916 in Troons Wood, France and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Can you tell us more about this soldier? Please get in touch if you can help.