Bombardier Alfred Walter Mayne

Date of Birth c.1895
Age at Death 24
Date of Death 8 February 1919
Service Number 17663
Military Service 'O' Anti-Aircraft Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
Merton Address 2 Norfolk Road, Merton
Local Memorial Mitcham Parish Church

Additional Information

Born in Brixton in 1895, Alfred was the second child of Henry and Alice Mayne. The couple also had an older son, Henry, born in 1894.

The census of 1901 shows the family living with Alfred’s paternal grandparents and extended family at 80 Bramah Road, Lambeth. His grandfather, father and several of his uncles worked in the building trade, whilst two of his aunts were employed as silk tie makers.

By 1911, Alfred’s parents appear to have separated. Now aged 16, he was working as a Butchers Assistant and living at 8, Devonshire Road, Colliers Wood, with his mother and older brother Harry (Henry) who was employed as a Sawmill machinist. The household also included Alfred’s widowed maternal grandmother, Mary Ann Tompkins and his adopted sister, 6 year old Agnes Morris. Perhaps as a means of boosting the family income, Alice Mayne had also taken in a boarder, Walter Hanks aged 16, who worked a Paper Hanger’s assistant.

Alfred’s father, Henry, appears to have been living on his own at 5 Carlwell Street, Tooting and was running his own plumbing business.

Just prior to the war, Alfred was working as a Butcher and living at 2 Norfolk Road, Merton. He volunteered for military service at Hilsea and joined the Royal Field Artillery on 18th November 1914. Records show that he was then 19 years and 10 months of age, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 112 1bs, with a 34 ½ in chest. He was also described as having a fresh complexion, grey eyes, ginger hair and a scar over his right knee.

Alfred was initially posted to France on 21 November 1914 as a Driver. By 4 May 1915 his was acting Bombardier and rose to the rank of Bombardier in on 11 May 1916.

During the latter stages of his military career he was attached to O Anti- Aircraft Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Men were posted to anti-aircraft duties from all three branches of the Royal Artillery between 1914 and 1916. By 1916 the average section consisted of 43 men: 2 officers, two gun detachments of 12 men including a driver, 2 telephonists, 1 linesman, 4 height finders, 4 Wilson-Dalby Detector Operators, 2 Height and Fuze Indicator men, 1 Order Board Setter, 1 Lookout man or Air sentry, 1 orderly and a cook. Anti-aircraft duties were difficult and dangerous but Alfred was fortunate enough to survive four years of military service.

He finally returned home from France in early February 1919 but had tragically contracted Influenza and Pneumonia. He died just a few days later at the family home in Norfolk Road, Merton, aged just 24 and was buried in Mitcham Parish churchyard.

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