Thank you to Patricia Brazier for the following research.
Alfred was born on 26th June 1880 in Brockham. His parents were Thomas and Agnes.
In the 1891 census, the family are living in Tweed Lane in Brockham. Alfred’s father, Thomas is a lime burner. Alfred is 11 years old, he has two brothers: Thomas aged 7 and George aged 4 and one sister, Fanny aged 9.
Alfred joined the Royal Navy on 11 August 1898. His enlistment papers show he was 5 feet and 3 and a 1/2 inches in height, and had light brown hair and grey eyes. He stayed in the Navy for 12 years.
Alfred’s mother Agnes died in 1899. She was buried on 9th August at St. Michael’s Church in Betchworth.
In the 1901 census, Alfred is serving as a Stoker on HMS Renown. His family are living at the Brockham Lime Works. His father is still a lime burner; Thomas Jnr is 16 and a point turner on the Railways, George is 14 and is an under gardener. Albert now has another brother Albert who is 9 years old.
Alfred joined The Buffs East Kent Regiments at Dover on the 8th September 1914, his occupation at the time was a labourer. He is now 5 feet and 5 inches tall and has a tattoo of flowers on his right forearm and a woman’s head on his left forearm. He arrived in France on 28th July 1915.
In early March 1917, his father received a telegram informing him that Alfred was seriously ill in France. Two days later he received a letter from the Chaplain at No. 45 Casualty Clearing Station confirming that Alfred had been wounded in the head and unable to write himself. Alfred begged his relatives not to worry, as he was receiving every possible attention from doctors and nurses and hoped in a few days to be removed to a base hospital or even to England. On Friday of the same week Alfred’s father received a telegram informing him that Alfred had passed away on 3rd March 1917. He was 37 years old. He is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension: Ref V1B8.
Alfred’s personal possessions, consisting of coins, discs, letters, photos, a pipe, a watch and cover, a chain and badges were sent to his father at 4 New Cottages in Brockham in September 1917. His medals and Plaque were sent in 1920.
Alfred’s brother Albert served with the Highland Light Infantry he died in January 1917, in Mesopotamia two months before Alfred. Thomas Jnr served with the Norfolk Regiment, he survived and continued to live in Brockham. Fanny married George Hudson in Dover in 1905.
| Born | Brockham, Surrey | |
| Lived | Brockham, Surrey | |
| Son of | Thomas and Agnes Parker, of Brockham Lime Works | |
| Brother of | Albert Parker | |
| Regiment | 7th Battalion. The Buffs East Kent | |
| Number | S/330 | |
| Date of Death | 3rd March 1917 | |
| Place of Death | France | |
| Cause of Death | Died of wounds | |
| Age | 42 | |
| Cemetery | Dernacourt Communal Cemetery |
