Alfred George Simmons

Story:
Alfred (Fred) George Simmons was born on 5th May, 1893 in Donhead St. Andrew, and baptised there on 1st July, 1894. He was the son of Anna Maria Simmons, who was single at the time. No father is recorded. She later married Tom Dyer in 1904. At the time of the 1911 Census Fred was single, working as a Gardener's Help and living in Wardour Lane, Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire. He enlisted in Salisbury (mistakenly under the name 'Frederick') as a Private and joined the 5th Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 22786). He served in Mesopotamia and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 9th April 1917 and his name appears on the Shaikh Saad Old Cemetery Memorial at Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. He is remembered on the Donhead St. Andrew War Memorial.