No.21003, Corporal, Alfred James HOWLETT
Aged 29
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Alfred James Howlett was born in Haverhill on December 17th 1888 (Risbridge Q1-1889 4A:638), baptised 29th December 1889 in Wicken, son of Robert and
Elizabeth HOWLETT (née BULLMAN)
1891 census...Aged 2 he was at High Street, Wicken with his father Robert HOWLETT [22] Insurance agent; his mother Elizabeth [22] and sister Maud E [10 months], they were living with his widower grandfather Levi BULLMAN [51] a farm labourer, Alfred's uncles George BULLMAN [20] farm labourer and Moses BULLMAN [14], farm labourer. Alfred and his sister were both born in Haverhill, the rest were Wicken born. It appears his father died in 1894. His mother married William BLACKWELL in Q1-1901, Newmarket 3B:689. 1901 census...Aged 12 at High Street, Wicken were just Alfred and his grandfather Levi BULLMAN. His mother, step father William BLACKWELL [38] bricklayer's labourer born Newmarket, sister Maude E HOWLETT, Constance HOWLETT [7] born Ely and half brother Walter HOWLETT [4] born Soham. In 1903 he was at Ely, Market Street Infants' School. 1911 census...Aged 22, he was a private in the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, stationed in Egypt. |
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Enlisted in Bury St Edmunds.
On 4th February 1907 he attested in Bury St Edmunds for the Cambridgeshire Militia (4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment No. 3421.) He was 18 years old, a labourer, born Haverhill, living in Soham. He was 5 feet 4.25 inches (163.2 cm)tall, weighing 122 lbs (55.5 kg) chest 34" to 36.5" (86.4 to 92.7), blue eyes, brown hair and Church of England. Employed by Mr Fleming in Ely. His next of kin was his mother Mrs Elizabeth BLACKWELL. As with most of these militia attestations, very little was recorded. It is not known when he ended his militia service or when he joined the Army proper. The 1st Garrison Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment was a non-combat battalion, that was used in garrisoning some of the British outposts that were not in the Front line during the war. The 1st Garrison battalion spent most of its war in Egypt (1915-1916), and later Palestine (Gaza from late 1917 after the 3rd battle of Gaza in November 1917). It transferred to Salonika, departing Gaza on 26th October 1918, arriving in Salonika on the 31-10-1918 where it remained until January 1919. The Garrison Battalions were usually manned by men who were not of A1 fitness, and men who had been wounded earlier in the war and medically downgraded to below the standard for front line service, but still able to perform a good job for the Army. They were also called upon for exhumation and burial details. The quote here is from the diary of Lt Victor Edward Borgonon (Suffolk Regiment serving in Greece at the time):- " Now I would like to pass quickly over the gruesome details, but just mention that our men had to work with their gas helmets on all the time, that two of our men died, two went off their heads, and thirty four went into hospital, it will convey a slight idea of the sacrifice entailed in paying the last respects to the lads who had given their lives to King & Country. "
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
