| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Alfred was born in Beverley in 1892 and baptised together with his younger brother Albert Ernest in Beverley Minster on 12 Mar 1897. He was the third son of Francis and Sarah Ann Hood, the family lived in Queensgate and Minster Moorgate. In Sep 1912 labourer Alfred married Gertude Hornby in Beverley Minster and he already had two young sons, Francis and Noel before he enlisted in Hull.
Like his younger brother Ernest, Alfred served with both the Royal Horse Artillery and the Royal Field Artillery. His Medal Card, which only records RFA, tells that Acting Bombardier Alfred Hood was entitled to the British and Victory medals and the 1915 Star, giving a date of entry into France of 5 Oct 1915. By Aug 1917 he was attached to D Battery, 18th Brigade, RFA who were equipped with 4.5" Howisters. They were in action in the Second Battle of Passchendaele in Oct 1917 and the German Spring Offensive in Mar 1918. Here the 18th Brigade suffered such heavy losses that the order was given to pull out and fall back towards Arras. Alfred survived this onslaught but in May 1918 he was severely wounded, before being transferred to a military hospital in Dover. He died there on 18 May aged 25 and was brought back to Beverley where he was buried on 23 May 1918 with military honours in St Martin's Cemetery, Cartwright Lane.
Alfred's death was reported in the Beverley Guardian on 25 May and 8 Jun 1918 and a further piece appeared in Mar 1919 with photographs of the five Hood brothers who served. Three of the brothers had been injured more than once but Alfred was the only one die. His name can be found on Beverley's Hengate War Memorial.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |