Bullard, Alfred

Alfred was the second son of Samuel and Ruth (nee Hayden), born at Thriplow, Cambridgeshire on 19 February 1884. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Before enlisting he was a farm labourer.

Alfred enlisted with the Suffolk Regiment in about 1901. He served in the South African (2^nd Boer War) with the 1^st Battalion, Regimental Number 5655. He served with various battalions during his military service.

The 1911 census shows Alfred, a farm labourer, living in Bygrave with his wife and son, but when WWI broke out Alfred enlisted with his brothers with the Suffolk Regiment, 2^nd Battalion. The Battalion mobilised and went to the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders, where they engaged in The Battle of Mons, the retreat, and The Battle of Le Cateau. Alfred was wounded four times but survived the War and returned home.

Alfred was entitled to the King’s South African War Medal with the Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, and 1902 clasps. He was also awarded the British War Medal, the 1914 Star with Mons clasp, the Victory Medal, and ‘clasp and roses’ emblem for mention in dispatches, and the Silver War Badge.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Alfred married Emily Jane Wilkins on 9 April 1910 at Ashwell. They had two sons, Ernest Arthur born 28 August 1910, and Edward Russell Charles born 28 March 1912.

The 1939 census shows Alfred the innkeeper of Chalkman’s Knoll, Ashwell, Hertfordshire.

Alfred died at North Buckinghamshire in March 1976.

Alfred’s brothers, Arthur, David and Leonard served in the War and survived, but two brothers, Albert and Eli, were captured by the Germans at Cateau in May 1914 and spent the War in Doebritz Prisoner of War Camp. His brother Frederick, an agricultural labourer, was unfit for war and remained on the farm. His father, Samuel, served with the Hertfordshire Territorial Force and was billeted at home. All are commemorated in the Ashwell cemetery.

Royston Crow,, 28 Oct 1918 Lance-Corpl, Alfred Bullard, of the Suffolk Regiment, second son, served through the South African War, and has seen four years’ service in France. He has the Mons Ribbon, and been mentioned in despatches. He has been wounded four times, the last about seven months ago.