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Alf Grice enlisted at Hull the 10 Dec 1915 but was not mobilised until Apr 1916. He joined the 19th Battalion of the West Riding Regiment and was used on labouring duties in the UK, never going abroad and thus not earning the customary British and Victory medals. He later served in the Liverpool regiment and the Army Labour Corps in the same capacity swiftly being promoted to sergeant. At the end of 1917 he was placed in Army reserve class W for all those deemed to be more valuable to their country in civil rather than military employment.
Between Apr 1912 and Apr 1915 Alf had served as a constable in the Beverley Borough Police. In Dec 1917 Beverley’s Chief Constable wrote to the army authorities and said that his force was short of men, whereupon as of 31 Dec 1917 Alf returned to the force. In 1928 following amalgamation he joined the East Riding Constabulary and served until 1940 latterly being promoted to sergeant and serving in Brough and Cottingham.
Alf was born in Sherburn, North Yorkshire on 11 Sep 1890 and was baptised in the local church on 12 Oct. His parents John Henry and Martha Alice Grice were involved in farming. They had five children. In the early 1890’s the family moved to Beverley and they lived at Enfields, Railway Terrace. Alf’s father died in 1897 and his mother married Robert Andrew, a labourer and carter. They had two sons.
Alf had worked as a tanner’s labourer and also as a boilerman as well as being a Policeman. Alf was also a Rugby league player and in 1911 for the sum of £15 was transferred from the Beverley team to Hull FC. He won the Challenge cup with them in 1914. He married Ellen Donkin of Brough early on 13 Apr 1914 at Elloughton church before playing a game for Hull FC later that day. They had six children, the eldest Donald was born 27 Jan 1915. They lived at 12 Wilbert Grove, Beverley and later on Endyke Lane, Hull.
Alf died on 11 Jun 1949 and is buried at Cottingham Cemetery.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |