Current Information:

Age-23

Corporation Depot, Lower Mortlake Road

Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme

On 5th February, 1917, 1st Honourable Artillery Company of 190 Brigade, 63rd Division, moved into the Puisieux Line, River Trench and Cliff Trench near Beacourt-sur-l’Ancre, on the Somme battlefield. Not only was this a dangerous place to be because of the ever present threat of the enemy artillery, but it was also freezing cold. Rather than a continuous trench, the front line here was a series of posts, some no more elaborate than a large shell hole and often with no adequate communication trench leading back to safety, or rather relative safety. At 11pm on 7th February, they launched an attack on the sunken road in front of them as far as its junction with Miraumont Alley and Baillescourt Farm. By 11.35pm, all objectives had been secured and consolidation had begun. The fight continued through to the next morning. By 2am the enemy had been cleared from Miraumont Alley and later A Company attacked Baillescourt Farm and captured posts there. The success of this operation had a cost in casualties, one of whom was Alfred Aylett who was killed on 8th February.