Alfred Sidney Searle was the brother in law of my Great Great Grand Uncle Edwin Ernest Bush who had married Alfred’s sister Ada Searle on the 10th September 1893 at Holy Trinity Church, Wimbledon.
Alfred was born in 1880 in Wimbledon, Surrey, one of eight children of John Joseph and Emma Jane Searle (nee Miles). Both his parents had passed away by the time Alfred was 17 and in 1901 he and two brothers Edward Horace and Thomas Ernest were living with his sisters (Ada) family in Leyton Road, Wimbledon.
Alfred married Harriet Rachel Harman in 1907 in Wandsworth, Surrey and had 3 daughters Minnie (born 1908), Queenie (born 1912) and Constance (born 1916). Before the War Alfred had worked as a house painter along with many of his cousins and was living with Harriet and his young family at 6 Abbey Terrace, Abbey Road, Merton
Following the success of the Battle of Amiens (8th – 12th August 1918), the allies launched a number of new offences to keep the pressure on the German forces whose moral was weakening after four long years of conflict.
The attacks by the British Army extended all the way along the line from the Somme up to Ypres in Belgium and on 18th August, they attacked and captured the Outtersteene Ridge near the town of Bailleul in northern France, close to the Belgian border. Although only 120 feet above sea level the Outtersteene Ridge afforded the enemy a good observation of the low lying country around it and its capture was deemed important. 27 Brigade of 9th Division attacked behind a powerful artillery barrage and within an hour the ridge was in British hands. At 5pm on the following day, 19th August, the 12th Norfolk battalion of 94th Brigade, 31st Division, and the 2nd Royal Fusiliers of 86 Brigade, 29th Division continued the attack and in less than an hour and a half gained the further objectives of Lyndé Farm and The Trucks. They then went on to reach the Vieux Berquin-Outtersteene road
Alfred was serving as a Private with the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers and on the 19th August 1918, Alfred went over the top.
War Diary - 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers 19th August 1918
At 5.00 pm the battalion attacked (W Coy on the right, X Coy on the left, 2 platoons of Z Coy in support on the right) under a barrage and captured the line of trucks, LYNDE, ASSET and LESAGE FARMS, also assisting in the capture of LABIS FARM, which formed part of the objective of the 12th Norfolks, who attacked in conjunction with us on our right. The operation was completely successful and the line was established in front of the road running from F 13 A7,2 – F.6.C.6.G.
We captured 111 prisoners, including 1 officer, 10 machine guns, and 2 trench mortars. In addition several casualties were inflicted on the enemy as he fled in confusion. No counter attack was delivered. Narrative attached Appendix No.
Our Casualties were :-
Killed 2/LT Whyte & 2/LT Brown and 16 other ranks
Wounded 2/LT Adams & 2/Lt Walton and 63 other ranks.
After dusk the remaining 2 platoons of Z Coy went into the line and CAPT. CLARKE took over command of the right sub-sector, the inter-company boundary being the cross-roads at F.13b.8.8.
It is during the main attack on the 19th August that Private Alfred Searle, aged 38, lost his life.
Private Alfred Sidney Searle has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploesteert Memorial (Panel 3) along with 11 of his comrades who also died that day
Pte. Ernest Phillip Ray aged 18
Pte. William Sidney Rix aged 20
Pte. Charles Dawson aged 26
Pte. Alfred Wilcox
Pte. Samuel Charles Wing
Lance Corporal Albert Wood aged 19
Pte. Frank Herbert Rogers aged 18
Pte. Leonard Shelley
Lance Corporal William Ratcliff Mason aged 23
Corporal Reginald Hickox
Lance Corporal Charles Herbert Holliday
Ploegsteert Memorial is located in Hainaut, Belgium 12.5 Km south of Leper (Ypres)
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| Ploegsteert Memorial |
Alfred left behind his widow Harriet whom he had married in 1907 and his three daughters, Minnie (aged 10), Queenie (aged 6) and Constance (aged 2).
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