Douglas Walter Alner

Story:
Douglas Walter Alner was born in Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, on 3 Jul 1898 the son of William Alner and Maria Alner (nee Whitmarsh). He lived his early life in the Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, area until by 1911 the family had moved to Long Critchel, Wimborne, Dorset. He had enlisted with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry as a Private (Service No.32155). He had served with the 1st Battalion until transferring to the Gloucestershire Regiment (Service No. 21706). It is not known in which theatre if war he served but at the end of hostilities was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. He made the Army his career and had transferred yet again to the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 5563643) and served in Shanghai, China, in the late 1930's and then into WW2. There is a suggestion that he was with the Royal West Kent Regiment for a short while. His death was recorded in Southampton, Hampshire, during 1987. His brothers, George William Alner, Arthur Bertie Alner and Harry John Alner, all served in the conflict.