Alfred Davies was born on 1st May, 1891 at Mount Pleasant, Flint and baptised on 17th June, 1891 at St Mary’s Parish Church, Flint. He was the eldest of 12 children to William Davies and Elizabeth (Jones).
It is not known where William and Elizabeth were in the 1901 census but Alfred and his five-year-old brother Richard were staying with their grandparents Robert and Margaret Davies at 1, Mill Brow, by Bryn Houses, Flint.
In the 1911 census the Davies family were living at 23, Swan Street and Alfred’s occupation was a Corporation labourer.
Alfred’s father William, who was born in Flint, died on 22nd February, 1912, aged 53, and was buried in the Northop Road Cemetery. He had been employed as a collier and chemical labourer.
Alfred married Edith Eccles at the Register Office, Holywell on 26th December, 1912. She was born in Flint and was a daughter of William Eccles, farm labourer, and his wife Mary, of 1, Gardeners Row, Oakenholt, and sister to Private John William Eccles.
They lived at 265, Brook Place, Chester Road, Oakenholt, and had two children – William (1913–?) and Florence (1915–?). Alfred was now employed as a carter in the chemical works.
He enlisted in Flint on 21st September, 1914, and his service record is as follows:
forfeited 10 days’ pay for absence from 6:00 pm 30th January, 1915 to 9:30 am 8th February, 1915; embarked His Majesty’s (HM) Troopship Caledonia at Devonport for Gallipoli on 14th July, 1915; hospitalised at Gallipoli with a bayonet wound in the left leg on 5th September, 1915; hospitalised in Malta on 10th September, 1915 and in the Wesleyan General Hospital, Cardiff , on 17th October, 1915; embarked HM Troopship Ivvenie at Devonport, on 23rd April, 1916; disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt, on 3rd May, 1916; joined Battalion at Wadi Natrun on 13th May, 1916; attached to CRE (Divisional Commander Royal Engineers) Australian Division as Railway Man at Ismailia, on 28th May, 1916; rejoined Battalion ex-attachment at Egypt, on 3rd August, 1916; embarked for El Arish, Port Said, 25th December, 1916; rejoined Battalion ex-El Arish in field, on 29th December, 1916; granted Class 2 Proficiency Pay, on 27th September, 1916; wounded in action at Gaza, on 26th March, 1917; on enlistment, he was 5ft 9ins, chest 36ins, fresh complexion, grey eyes and black hair. His wife Edith was granted a widow’s pension of 44s 2d per week for herself and two children with effect from 2nd February, 1920.
A concerned Edith wrote a letter to the Record Office, Shrewsbury, dated 21st July, 1917, stating that her husband had been a prisoner of war in Turkey and she had not heard from him for two years, and would they look into the case for her.
A report was received by the War Office from No. 241227 Private R Johnson, 1/5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers to the effect that No. 240634 Private A Davies of the same regiment died at Bor, Turkey whilst a prisoner of war since he was wounded in action at the First Battle of Gaza, Palestine on 26th March, 1917. The relatives were informed that this report had been accepted for official purposes, and that the date of death taken as, “on or since 1st August, 1917.” The cause of his death was not stated.
He was buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq (Plot XXI, Row U, Grave 32), and is remembered on the Flint Town war memorial. He is also commemorated on the North Wales Heroes, Memorial Arch, Bangor. He was awarded the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Edith re-married in 1920 to Albert Leighton Hughes (1896–1968), residing at 21, Woodfield Avenue, Flint. She died on 18th July, 1959, aged 65, and is buried with her second husband in the Old London Road Cemetery, Flint.
Alfred’s mother, Elizabeth, was born in Flint and died on 16th March, 1930, aged about 65, and was buried with her husband.