Alfred first appeard on the census in 1901 living with his parents and siblings at Pen Ucha Houses, Llanfynydd aged 8. His father Fredrick was aged 31 working as a (stoker at Engine Station), mother Mary 27, brother Fredrick 3 and sister Lilian M. 16 months. On the 1911 census he was listed as a Stoker RN. at the Royal Navy Barracks Keyham, Devonport. He wrote a letter home on the 21st March 1911, which suggests that he almost ran away to sea. The letter is reproduced below.
The UK. Royal Navy Registers of Seamen Service confirms the above and states that he was born on the 26th August 1892 in Llanfynydd, Flintshire. He joined on the 21st March 1911 for 12yrs. He was 5ft 4 3/4 inches tall and had a chest measurement of 36 inches. His eyes were blue and he had a fresh complexion. He also had a scar on his left thigh and a tattoo on left wrist.
He served on the HMS Vivid11 which was a training unit in Devonport as a stoker 2nd class, from the 21st of March 1911 till 7th August 1911. On the 8th of August 1911 he joined the crew of HMS Collossus as a stoker when she was commissioned at Devonport in the second division of the home fleet. He served on board till the 14th March 1912 when he was transferred back to HMS Vivid. On the 15th April 1912 he was discharged from the Navy.
Alfred does have a Record Card at Hawarden Archive and records that he enlisted into the Army Pay Corp. on the 6th of August 1914. and later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and that he was killed in action on the Easter Monday morning 9th April 1917.The card was signed 28th July 1920 by Fredrick Edwards.
UK Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 states that that he resided in Plumstead and enlisted into the M.G.C at Woolwich it also says that he was formerly 21809 of the Duke of Cornwell’s Light Infantry.
The Army’s Register of Soldier’s Effects in which they calculated moneys owed to deceased soldiers states that Edwards Alfred’s sole Legatee was his father Fred. He received £8..10s..0d
Many thanks to Alfred’s Great Niece, Angela Howarth for sharing information and all the photographs on this page.
