| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Alfred Ernest Wiles was born in Market Weighton in 1886, the son of Frederick Wiles and Mary (nee Dodson). Frederick was a farm worker and the family moved around various farms on the Yorkshire Wolds before settling in Cherry Burton. Frederick died in 1898 leaving Mary a widow with several young children. In 1901 the family lived in Cherry Burton and fourteen-year-old Alfred was employed by Robert Jackson, of the Manor House, as a horseman on his farm. By 1911 Alfred was working as a Post Office telegraph wireman or linesman based at the Post Office in Hull. He married Mabel Alice Allinson of Middleton-in-Teesdale on 2 Jul 1913 at St Saviour's Church, Scarborough. Their son, Alfred Ernest was born 18 Aug 1914 at 44 Manvers Street, Hull.
In the event of war Post Office employees were expected to join either the Territorial Army or the Royal Engineers Special Telegraph Reserve. Alfred became Sapper 1410, Royal Engineers (T) before being embodied into the Royal Engineers as Sapper 72776 at Leeds. He embarked with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force as a member of General Headquarters Signal Company, Royal Engineers, and arrived in Alexandria, Egypt on 8 Apr 1915. The Expeditionary Force landed on the Gallipoli Peninsular at Cape Helles and 'Anzac Cove' on 25 Apr 1915. Alfred was no doubt employed in the construction of the extensive signals cable network built up behind the front lines during the months following these landings. In an attempt to break the deadlock a further attack was made at Suvla Bay on 6th/7th Aug, Alfred was killed during the fighting on 18 Aug 1915, his only child's first birthday.
Alfred's name is inscribed on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli. His name is recorded in Beverley Minster; St John's Church, Newland, Hull; and the Post Office Memorial in St Peter Street, Hull. His Hull Post Office colleagues placed a brass plaque to his memory in St Michael and All Angels Church, Cherry Burton. Mabel emigrated to Canada to join her father and other members of her family. Mabel married William Thomas Cornish in 1919 at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and died 26 Jul 1976 at Guelph, Ontario.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |