8568 PTE. A. BRIERLEY. WORCS.REG.

 

I have little family information about Alfred Brierley.  According to Soldiers’ Effects, his sole legatee was his sister Nellie (married name Smith).

 

He signed up at the outset of the War and was assigned service number 8568 and posted to Worcestershire Regiment, 2nd Battalion.  He landed in France on 24 November 1914.  The Battalion had been in France since 14 August and was part of 5th Brigade in 2nd Division.  When Alfred joined them the Battalion had just been engaged in the First Battle of Ypres.  Alfred was involved in the winter operations of 1914-1915, but the main engagement was at the Battle of Festubert, where fighting took place throughout the summer.

 

Alfred died of wounds on 26 July 1916.  According to Soldiers’ Effects, he was at Casualty Clearing Station no 2, at Choques.  According to The Long, Long Trail, however, 2CCS was at Bailleul at this time.  The CCS at Choques was no 1.  Alfred is buried at the cemetery attached to Choques, so that’s where he died.  Casualties in 2Bn were very light in July, with only 5 deaths in the whole month.  However, the Bn had had more than 80 officers and men killed in an earlier phase of the Battle of Festubert, between 14 and 17 May.

 

Rank:  Private

Service No:  8568

Date of Death:  26/07/1915

Regiment/Service:  Worcestershire Regiment, 2nd Bn.

Grave Reference:  I. D. 40.

Cemetery:  CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY

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