Daniel A A Pte 35 5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)

Daniel A A Pte 35 5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)

Daniel A A Pte 35 5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) With Colour Added

DANIEL, ALFRED AUSTEN, Private, No. 35, 5th Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd s. of Herbert Daniel of 50, Tunnel Avenue, East Greenwich, S.E., by his wife, Clara Matilda, dau. of William Austen, H.M. Customs; b. Rotherhithe, co. Surrey, 18 Nov. 1894; educ. Aske School, Hatcham, and matriculated at London University with second class honours in July, 1912. At the time war broke out he was with the Star Assurance Society; enlisted in the London Rifle Brigade with his two brothers, 6 Aug. 1914, the day following the declaration of war. He went with the battn. to France in Nov., and while doing fatigue duty was dangerously wounded on the evening of 24 Jan. 1915, and died fourteen hours later, on the 25th. His company officer wrote: “He was at all times a most willing and cheerful worker, a splendid example to others, and he will be much missed by all in the platoon, and by me as commander”; and a comrade: “He died as all soldiers would wish to die on duty and by that glorious death he has done all that a brave man could do for his country.” A memorial, in the form of a copy in oils of the famous picture “The Great Sacrifice,” was placed in St. John’s Church, Isle of Dogs, E., of which church he was a Server, by the parishioners. At Aske School he was a prefect, played for the Champion House cricket team, 1910-11, in the school football second eleven, 1911-12, and in the Champion House football team, 1911-12. He was the first Askean to fall in the war.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1