Private 201665 Alfred James Bellingham


Bellingham Alfred James 96 428x600


Died of Wounds on Saturday, 11th August 1917, age 26.
Buried in Grave VI. C. 7. at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

'A' Company of 1st/5th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 143rd Brigade of 48th Division.

Son of John and Emily Bellingham, of Station House, Blake St. Station, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Sutton Coldfield.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial, but commemorated on the St. Peter’s Church Memorial, Little Aston.
Commemorated here because he was born in Tipton.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/430199/


Genealogical Data

1891 Census
27 Aston Street, Tipton, Staffs.
John Bellingham (29, Signalman on London & North West Railways, born Stone, Staffs), his wife Emily (32, born Old Hill), and their daughter: Florry (5, born Winson Green). Also a Domestic Servant, Nellie Howell (16, born Wolverhampton).

Birth of Alfred James Bellingham registered June quarter 1891 at Dudley (born 23rd May).

1901 Census
Station House, Blake Street, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire.
John Bellingham (39, Station Master, born Stone, Staffs), his wife Emily (42, born Old Hill – recorded as “deaf from childhood”), and their 5 children: Frederick A. (16, Railway Clerk, born Wolverhampton), Emily F. (15, born Winson Green), Alfred J. (9, born Tipton), Elsie S. (7, born Sutton Coldfield) Thomas H. (1, born Sutton Coldfield).

1911 Census
Station House, Blake Street, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire.
John Bellingham (49, Station Master, born Stone, Staffs), his wife Emily (51, born Old Hill), and their 3 surviving children of 5: Alfred J. (19, Farm Labourer, born Tipton), Elsie S. (17, At Home, born Sutton Coldfield), and Thomas Henry (11, School, born Sutton Coldfield).


Personal Data

Alfred James Bellingham was born on 23rd May 1891 at 27 Aston Street, Tipton. The birth was registered by his mother Emily (nee Moon), his father was John Bellingham, a railway pointsman. By the time of the 1901 Census, John had risen in the world and was by then the Station Master at Sutton Coldfield Railway Station.

After Alfred's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £3/14/9d (3 pounds, 14 shillings and 9 pence); this was paid to his father and sole legatee, John, in January 1918. His War Gratuity was £6/0/0d (6 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Alfred had enlisted in approximately March 1916.

Alfred's father, John Bellingham, was granted a Dependant's Pension of 6/0d (6 shillings) per week from 9th April 1918.Prior to this, he had been receiving 1/0d (1 shilling) per week from 19th February 1918. An increase was refused in August 1922. His father's address at this time was still Station House, Blake Street, Sutton Coldfield.


Action resulting in his death

Alfred enlisted in approximately March 1916 so would not have arrived on the Western Front before October 1916 and so missed the heavy casualty rates of the Somme Campaign. In the subsequent (approximately) 9 months up to his death, the 1st/5th Royal Warwicks (1/5 RW) had a relatively low casualty rate (60 Other Ranks killed) as they had no involvement in the Battle of Arras.

The Third Battle of Ypres began on 31st July 1917 and once again the 1/5 RW had no involvement; on that day they were marching towards the Ypres Salient. On 8th August they took over a sector of the front-line at St. Julien, approximately 3½ miles north-east of Ypres. Their main position was to the west of St Julien and the Steenbeck, but with an outpost line to the east of St Julien.

The War Diary does not give any detail of the 3 days that the 1/5 RW spent in the front line, but as no specific action is mentioned we can assume that the casualties suffered were likely to be due to enemy artillery fire.

The War Diary for 10th/11th August records: “Battalion relieved by 7th Royal Warwickshire Regiment and proceeded to Canal de L’Yser. Casualties during period 8th-11th: Killed 17 Other Ranks, Wounded 2/Lt. J.B. Coulson and 38 Other Ranks.” There were actually 21 Other Ranks killed in this time period as a number of the men wounded subsequently died.

10th August was by far the worst day as 16 men of the 1/5 RW lost their lives, so it is statistically likely that this was the day when Alfred was wounded, but this is not certain.

A number of Casualty Clearing Stations had been established at Brandhoek in preparation for the Thrid Battle of Ypres, it was to one of these facilities that Alfred was taken, but he died from his wounds on 11th August and was buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery. Also buried in this cemetery is Captain Noel Chavasse, VC and Bar, MC, one of only three men who have won the Victoria Cross twice. Captain Chavasse was a son of the Bishop of Liverpool, and a Doctor with the Royal Army Medical Corps.


Newspaper Cuttings

Birmingham Mail, 31st August 1917
LOCAL ROLL OF HONOUR
Private A.J. Bellingham (25, Editor: actually 26), R. War. Regt., son of Mr J. Bellingham, Blake Street Station, near Sutton Coldfield. He was a stretcher-bearer for his own company, and had been at the front nearly 12 months. Prior to enlisting in February 1915, he was employed by Messrs Holt & Son.