No.23400 , Private, Alfred William GOODACRE
Aged 26
|
Alfred Goodacre was born in 1890 in Bermondsey (St Olave, Bermondsey Q1-1890 1D:276), son of George and Alice GOODACRE (née SPEED), later of Flackwell Heath, High Wycombe
Three of his siblings were baptised in April 1887 at St Mark's in Camberwell, Charles James, Minnie Rose, and strangely a son named Alfred William. This Alfred probably died in 1888 aged 1 yr and when our Alfred was born in 1890 the parents named him after the child they had lost, a not uncommon procedure in those days. 1891 census...Aged 1, he was at Rolls Road, Bermondsey with his father George GOODACRE [40] farrier smith, born Saffron Walden; his mother Alice [40] born Saffron Walden; sisters Louisa M [14], Alice A [13], both born Horton, Middlesex, Minnie R [6] born Bermondsey and Ethel M [2] Camberwell and brothers Frederick G [12] born Horton, Middlesex, and Charles J [7] born Bermondsey. 1901 census...Aged 11 he was at Station Road, Dullingham with his uncle William SEELEY [49] farm labourer, born Dullingham and aunt Susan [51] born Saffron Walden. On 29th March 1910 he enlisted in Newmarket in the Grenadier Guards # 14607. At his medical he gave his age as 20 years 2 months, occupation farm labourer. He was 5ft 9 3/8 inches (176.3 cm) tall, weighed 158 lbs (71 kg), chest 36.5" to 38" (92.7 to 96.5 cm), with hazel eyes and light brown hair. He gave his next of kin as his mother Alice, of 19 Westville Road, Shepherds Bush, which suggests his father had died. Joining the Guards at Caterham on 2nd April he seemed not to be of the Guards standard, since he was discharged on 26th April 1910 as being "inefficient". 1911 census...Aged 21, a farm labourer, he was at Church Lane, Dullingham with his uncle and aunt, William and Susan SEELEY. The last address for his family is given as Flackwell Heath. His sister Ethel May Goodacre died in the district in 1973 aged 85yrs. There is also an Alice Goodacre who died in 1932 aged 80yrs in the Wycombe District, this could be his mother. The pension card names his uncle William Sealy, of Church Lane,Dullingham.
|
|
He enlisted in Newmarket. "Soliders Died" has him born in Dullingham which may be understandable since he spent most of his life there with his uncle and aunt . On 8th August 1916 the Germans had taken 70 yards of Ration Trench (west of Pozières) but this was regained by the 7th Suffolk who gained a further 200 yards of the trench. Only 5 are recorded as killed on the 8th by CWGC so it may be that the 51 recorded killed on the 9th represented many of the missing from the roll call taken on 9th. Alfred was one of only 7 with an identified grave. |
photo: Rodney Gibson photo: Rodney Gibson
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details