Born: 1888, Newton on Ouse
Died: 3 March 1917
Buried: Serre Road Cemetery
Address: 7 Fagley Road, Eccleshill
Parents: Thomas and Elizabeth, nee Kirk
Spouse: Florence, nee Tasker
Siblings: Millicent, Annie, Kathleen, Alex, Ethel
Occupation: Stable groom
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park & St Luke’s
Children: John
Regiment: 2 Royal Berkshire
Alfred Wells
Alfred Wells was born in 1888 at
Newton on Ouse the fourth of six
children of Thomas and Elizabeth ,
nee Kirk.
In 1911 the family were at Fairfield
Stables in York where Alfred at 23
years of age was a groom on a stud
farm.
In 1914 Alfred married Florence
Tasker born 1890 in Selby and they
had one son, John born in 1916 in
Wokingham, Hampshire.
It is not known when Alfred
enlisted but he joined the 2nd
Battalion of the Royal Berkshire
Regiment as Private 37621.
Nothing is known about Alfred’s
war but the 2nd Battalion was a
Regular Army unit and was serving
in India on the outbreak of war
being recalled to Britain, where,
with other Regular units also
stationed abroad, it helped form the
25th Brigade and was attached to
the 8th Division.
They came to the Western Front in
late 1914 and served there for the
rest of the war. Alfred was killed
in action on the 3rd of March 1917
when he was 29 years of age.
He is buried in Serre Road
Cemetery No. 2, one of the many
Somme Battlefield cemeteries.
The Cemetery was not started until
May 1917 when the British V
Corps cleared the battlefield of
soldiers’ remains.
Alfred left his effects to his widow
Florence and child who received
£2.8.2d on the 19th June 1917 and
a War Gratuity of £3.0.0d on the
21st October 1919. At the time of
Alfred’s death Florence was living
at 7 Fagley Road, Eccleshill.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
