Private Alfred Tickner

Pte. A. Tickner

Royal Fusiliers

Pte. A. Tickner, also of the Royal Fusiliers (Kensingtons), has been reported missing since Nov. 13th. His parents received a letter from him dated Nov. 12th, and as they did not hear any more from him they made enquiries at the War Office, where they were informed that he had been missing since Nov. 13th. Pte. Tickner was home on leave from the Front some two months back, and previously to that had been slightly wounded in the head.

Dorking Advertiser – 16th December 1916

Information has been received of the death in action of another Ockley boy, Pte. Alfred James Tickner, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Tickner, of Stone Street, Ockley. Pte. Tickner joined the Royal Fusiliers, then stationed in Horsham, in June 1915, and after going through training he left for France the following November. He was slightly wounded in the head in May 1916, and after this he was attached to another Battalion, and was home on leave a month previous to being killed on November 13th in the same engagement in which two other Ockley boys fell. Pte. Tickner was first reported missing, and as his parents heard no more about him, they wrote to his Company Officer, Lieut Jennings.

who replied: “I am sorry to say that I cannot tell you anything very definite about Pte. Tickner, as very few appear to have seen him during the recent attack. He went over the top with the Battalion on the morning of Nov. 13th, and all that I can hear is that he was last seen about 5.30pm the same evening accompanying a wounded officer out of the trenches. What happened after that I don’t know; he is officially reported missing. This means he may turn up, but if you haven’t heard anything, I don’t like to encourage you to hold out much hope. I hope you have heard some news from some hospital, which will be proof that your son was wounded. I am sorry to be so indefinite, but you understand that during the confusion of an attack it is impossible to find out about everybody’s movements. If I hear anything further I will let you know. I sympathise with you very much in your trouble.”

Since receiving this letter Mrs Tickner has received the sad news from the War Office that her sone was killed in the attack on November 13th. Previous to joining the service, Pte. Tickner was employed at Ockley Court as second gardener, where he had worked from boyhood. He was a member of the Ockley Cricket and Football Clubs, and played a very useful game of football as centre-half. He was also a member of the choir, and was held in the highest esteem in the village, and the greatest sympathy goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Tickner and family, and also to his fiancee, who lives in the neighbourhood, and who has already lost two brothers in the war, and another brother severely wounded twice. Pte. Tickner at the time of his death was 31 years of age.