No.G/32943, Private, Alfred PEACOCK
Aged 23
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Alfred Charles Peacock was born in Lidgate on 29th April 1894 (Newmarket Q2-1894 3B:506) son of Charles and Beatrice PEACOCK (née FOREMAN).
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at Chapel Row, Ashley with his father Charles PEACOCK [32] horseman on farm, born Lidgate; his mother Beatrice [30] born Pakenham, Suffolk and brothers Frank [4] and Stephen [2] both born in Ashley. 1911 census...Aged 16, no occupation given, he was at Silverley Road, Ashley with his parents, brothers Frank, Stephen, William [9] born Ashley and sisters Thurzia [6] and Mary [3] both born in Ashley. Despite this connection with Ashley he is not on their war memorial, His mother was later at 35 Gazeley Road, Moulton Local sources give his address as No.1 Brookside, Moulton. |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. At dawn on 27th December 1917 the war diary http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/war_diaries/local/2_4Bn_Queens/2_4Bn_Queens_1917/2_4Bn_Queens_1917_12.shtml records that:- "The enemy bombarded our positions on ZAMBY, WHITE HILL and the WALL and all morning attempted to gain a footing on these positions, but was rejected, suffering heavy casualties from artillery fire and from grenades, rifles and machine guns. He succeeded, however, in reaching the forward slopes of ZAMBY and working his way round the southern side of WHITE HILL: this rendered the position of our garrison on the reverse slope of WHITE HILL untenable, and it accordingly withdrew down the WALL to ZAMBY: a small post on the forward crest of WHITE HILL, sheltered by small scrapes was able to maintain its position until nightfall. The enemy did not occupy the crest of WHITE HILL nor did they succeed in reaching our line on ZAMBY. The battalion, which sustained casualties enumerated below, was reinforced at mid day by 3 companies of the 2/10 Middlesex Reg and at 21.00 was relieved by the 1/7 Royal Welsh Fusiliers" The casualties detailed were 2 officers killed and 33 OR killed and 67 OR wounded..CWGC records show 2 officers and 34 men killed. The positions mentioned are about 5 miles east of Bethlehem, overlooking the Jericho road about 3 miles from Jerusalem. Most unusual, but his medal index card can not be found.
photo: photographer to be found click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
