PRIVATE ALFRED HENRY HEMANS
Royal Army Service Corps, 21st Divisional Supply Column
He was Born in 1892 in Caradoc Cottages, Sellack
In 1911, his parents were living at Upper Grove Common, Sellack and Alfred was working as a domestic gardener in Berkshire, for a family who had previously lived in Bridstow.
On 5th October 1914, he enlisted in the Berkshire Army Service Corps at Reading, a Territorial Force unit.
On 9th November 1914, he joined the regular army at Bulford as a Driver Mechanic 2nd class.
He was deployed to France serving until 1918 with the 21st Divisional Train (Supply Column) which took part in many significant actions on the Western Front
On 16th October 1918 he caught a cold in France and after developing bronchitis was invalided home to England where in December he tested positive for Diphtheria.
He died on 16th December 1918 at the Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, age 26.
His mother claimed his body and his funeral took place in Sellack Church on 19th December 1918.
He is buried in Sellack churchyard and the CGWC have recently arranged to mark his grave as a war grave
His CGWC certificate of honour records he was the son of Henry and Eliza Hemans of Grove Common, Sellack
He is commemorated on the Sellack War Memorial