James Alford

Story:
James Alford was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 8 Sep 1896 the son of Sidney Herbert Alford, a carpenter, and Clara Jane Alford (nee Marshall).  He lived all his early life in Motcombe Street, Motcombe.  He enlisted on 9 Sep 1914 with the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry as a Private (Service No. 1064).  He served with his unit in Egypt until on 23 Aug 1918 he was transferred to the Royal Air Force as an Air Mechanic Class 2 (Service No. 408856) He worked as a Blacksmith on seaplanes. He was eventually discharged on 10 Mar 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  His marriage to Florence Rosalie Legg was recorded in the Tisbury, Wiltshire, Registry in 1920.   By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at Furzelease Farm, Tisbury Row, Tisbury, Wiltshire, working as a Blacksmith as well as a volunteer ARP Warden.  No record of his death has been found to date.  Of his brothers, Herbert Alford and Bertie Alford, served and survived the conflict.