| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Private Alfred O’Connell of the 2nd Border Regiment (20th Brigade, 7th Division) died of pneumonia on 14 Nov 1918 and was buried in the Bordighera British Cemetery in Italy. The Great War was ended by the Armistice of 11 Nov 1918 but fighting on the Italian Front involving Alfred had ended earlier on 4 Nov. He had served in the 2nd/4th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. Alfred won the War and Victory Medals
Alfred was born in Beverley the 21 Aug 1891 and baptised at St Nicholas’ Church, the son of Jonathan Pallister O’Connell of Market Weighton, born in 1860 and a tanners’ labourer. His mother was Mary Jane Priestman of Beverley. Alfred was the youngest of four children: Rachel born 1881, Arthur born 1885, and Charles born 1887 who was to serve in the Yorkshire Regiment in the war. The family lived at Brougham’s Row. Alfred worked as a farm labourer and when he married on 12 Feb 1916 at Cottingham Church he was described as a “maltster” living in Retford. His bride was Ethel Butler. They had one son, Alfred, born on 24 Nov 1916. After Alfred's death, Ethel married Ernest Longbone of Cottingham, Ethel died in 1988
Alfred is remembered on the Cottingham and Beverley War Memorials, on the East Riding Memorial in Beverley Minster and on the Beckside Street Shrine.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |