Harry Walter Alner

Story:
Harry Walter Alner was born in 1886 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and was baptised there at St. James' Church, Shaftesbury, on 13th September, 1886. He was the son of Sidney William Alner, a labourer, and Mary Ellen Alner (née Franklin). The family lived at 14 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury. He married Emily Elizabeth Franklin in the Holborn Registration District, London, on 3rd December, 1910. They had 2 daughters. At the time of the 1911 Census he was working as a chauffeur and living at 63 Battenberg Road, Richmond, Surrey. On 13th September 1915 he enlisted in London as a Private in the Royal Army Service Corps (Service No. M2/120963) and on 3rd October, 1915, embarked with the Expeditionary Force for France, only 3 weeks after enlistment. He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War as well as the 1915 Star. He was killed in action in France on 30th October 1918 and was at the time attached to the Canadian Corps Motor Transport Siege Park. He was buried at Denain Communal Cemetery, Department du Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais (grave id. A.24). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial, Shaftesbury, and on the Holy Trinity Memorial Plaque, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His widow was awarded a pension of £1.8s.5d. (£1.42p) per week for herself and the two children.

Harry's brothers Sidney William (b.1899) and Frederick Sidney (b.1896) also served in the war. Sadly Sidney died in hospital from wounds in Farnham, Surrey, less than a month after Harry.