L.8839 Pte. A. B. Haley, Middlesex Regiment.
Alfred Bertie Haley, the son of
James and Lucy Catherine Haley, was born in the Parish of St George in the East, Shadwell, London. The 1901 Census lists the family as James, a 63-year-old dock labourer, Katherine (sic), his 57-year-old wife, and their four children, James Edward (27 yrs), Kate (21 yrs), Alf (18 yrs) and Bertha (12 yrs). Alfred first joined the 5th Middlesex
(Militia) on 12th July 1901. His Attestation Papers describe him as an 18-year-old labourer, not quite 5' 3" in height, weighing 112lbs, with blue eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion. He stated his religion as Church of England and gave his address as 16 Market Buildings, High Street, Shadwell, and his employer as Wilkins & Co, High Street, Wapping.
In February 1902, Alfred was given two days' C.B. and forfeited two days' pay for overstaying his pass from 9am till 8pm. This was the first of his several conflicts with military authority. On 22nd February 1902, he embarked for South Africa and saw service in the latter stages of the Boer War, for which he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for "Cape Colony", "Transvaal" and "South Africa 1902".
Army life must have suited him as, on 9th May 1903, he enlisted into the 4th Middlesex (Regular Army) agreeing to serve 3 years with the Colours and 9 years in the Reserve and commenced a long period of home service. He was given 8 days' C.B. for refusing to obey an order in Dublin in September 1903 but following this his military career seems to have progressed smoothly. In 1904, he was appointed Lance Corporal and then promoted to Corporal the following year. He also obtained his 3rd and 2nd Class Certificates of Education in 1904 and 1905 respectively. When his three years of service came to an end in 1906, he agreed "to extend his period of Army Service to complete 9 years with the Colours." He was in possession of two Good Conduct Badges and his character was described as "good" but this state of affairs would not last.
On 3rd June 1907, Alfred had reverted to Private at his own request and then, four days later, he was given 10 days' C.B. and forfeited three days' pay for overstaying his pass from 2am till 11.30pm and being absent from the 6.30am parade. On 4th July 1907, he received 168 hours detention and forfeited one Good Conduct Badge for breaking out of barracks when warned for the guard and remaining absent until apprehended by the Garrison Military Police. He was also improperly dressed and drunk and had damaged public property, which he had to pay for. On 21st July 1907, he received 5 days' C.B. and was fined 8/6 for being drunk in Church End about 10pm. On 2nd October 1909, Alfred was fined 5/-, given 10 days' C.B. and forfeited another Good Conduct Badge for being drunk when parading for Brigade Duty at 5.20pm.
In February 1902, Alfred was given two days' C.B. and forfeited two days' pay for overstaying his pass from 9am till 8pm. This was the first of his several conflicts with military authority. On 22nd February 1902, he embarked for South Africa and saw service in the latter stages of the Boer War, for which he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for "Cape Colony", "Transvaal" and "South Africa 1902".
Army life must have suited him as, on 9th May 1903, he enlisted into the 4th Middlesex (Regular Army) agreeing to serve 3 years with the Colours and 9 years in the Reserve and commenced a long period of home service. He was given 8 days' C.B. for refusing to obey an order in Dublin in September 1903 but following this his military career seems to have progressed smoothly. In 1904, he was appointed Lance Corporal and then promoted to Corporal the following year. He also obtained his 3rd and 2nd Class Certificates of Education in 1904 and 1905 respectively. When his three years of service came to an end in 1906, he agreed "to extend his period of Army Service to complete 9 years with the Colours." He was in possession of two Good Conduct Badges and his character was described as "good" but this state of affairs would not last.
On 3rd June 1907, Alfred had reverted to Private at his own request and then, four days later, he was given 10 days' C.B. and forfeited three days' pay for overstaying his pass from 2am till 11.30pm and being absent from the 6.30am parade. On 4th July 1907, he received 168 hours detention and forfeited one Good Conduct Badge for breaking out of barracks when warned for the guard and remaining absent until apprehended by the Garrison Military Police. He was also improperly dressed and drunk and had damaged public property, which he had to pay for. On 21st July 1907, he received 5 days' C.B. and was fined 8/6 for being drunk in Church End about 10pm. On 2nd October 1909, Alfred was fined 5/-, given 10 days' C.B. and forfeited another Good Conduct Badge for being drunk when parading for Brigade Duty at 5.20pm.
Despite his various offences, Alfred continued to make good progress with his military career, being trained in Mounted Infantry Duties at Longmoor Camp from 5th October 1910 to 31st January 1911. A note in his Service Record from this time states "a very hard working man who will make a valuable scout with more training." In 1912, he also qualified as a telephone operator able "to take charge of an exchange office." In the same year, he agreed to extend his service to complete 12 years with the Colours. It was not all plain sailing though. On 29th August 1912, Alfred was given 5 days' C.B. for breaking out of barracks after tattoo and remaining absent until apprehended by the Garrison Military Police at 11.30pm. On 9th January 1913, he received 3 days' C.B. for irregular conduct on the line of march. Finally, he was admonished and forfeited one day's pay for being absent from midnight until 7.15am on 13th May 1913. However, the army was never one to hold a grudge and a note in Alfred's Service Record dated 17th November 1913 states that he "has conducted himself soberly for the last 4 years, and is a good hard working clean intelligent man, who would probably prove useful in suitable employment".
Still with the 4th Middlesex when the First World War broke out, Alfred landed in France on 14th August 1914, one of the first of the British Expeditionary Force to arrive on the Western Front. He is thus entitled to a 1914 Star Trio and the proud title of "Old Contemptible". The 4th Middlesex bore the brunt of the fighting at the Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914. According to the Regimental History "Our list of casualties after the fight was 14 officers and 453 in killed, wounded and missing, but this number of N.C.Os. and men was reduced somewhat by over 100 men turning up later who got astray." Nevertheless, the 4th Middlesex was one of the two most heavily engaged Battalions in the battle.
Still with the 4th Middlesex when the First World War broke out, Alfred landed in France on 14th August 1914, one of the first of the British Expeditionary Force to arrive on the Western Front. He is thus entitled to a 1914 Star Trio and the proud title of "Old Contemptible". The 4th Middlesex bore the brunt of the fighting at the Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914. According to the Regimental History "Our list of casualties after the fight was 14 officers and 453 in killed, wounded and missing, but this number of N.C.Os. and men was reduced somewhat by over 100 men turning up later who got astray." Nevertheless, the 4th Middlesex was one of the two most heavily engaged Battalions in the battle.
Alfred served on the Western
Front till mid 1916 when, according to King’s Regulations, he was entitled to
be discharged from the army on the termination of his engagement. He was sent
back to England
and discharged on 10th May 1916. According to his Discharge Papers, he was of very good military character, and "a good hard working man, clean and intelligent" and his intended place of residence was 2 Greencoat Mansions, Victoria, London.
It seems clear that Alfred must have
re-enlisted at some point and found his way back to his old Battalion although unfortunately Service Papers from his second enlistment do not seem to have survived. G/33309
Private Alfred Bertie Haley, 4th Middlesex, sadly died of wounds on 27th April 1917. He was 32 years old. The army does not seem to have
connected his two periods of service at first, or indeed to have realised that
he was dead, as in 1920 the Infantry Records Office wrote to both his parents at different addresses asking "will you please inform me the present whereabouts of your son, number L/8839 Private A. B. Haley, Middlesex Regiment. This information is required to enable me to dispose of the '1914 Star' awarded him." When no information was forthcoming, a third letter was dispatched to the Chief Constable at Shadwell Police Station but subsequent enquiries at the two addresses failed to find either parent. Alfred
does appear on two Medal Rolls for the British War Medal and Victory Medal,
with his earlier and later service numbers, but the later entry is crossed
through – clearly the army eventually realised that the two entries referred to
just one man. In September 1920, Alfred's mother received his 1914 Star and in February 1922, his brother Thomas signed the receipt for his Victory Medal.
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