4th ‘B’ Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Unfortunately, very little information has survived on Gunner Alfred Bartlett’s army service but certain assumptions can be made, using such data that is available.
Alfred Bartlett was born in Oddington near Stow-on-the-Wold close to the Oxfordshire border in 1878 (but was not baptised until 16 May 1880).
He was one of nine children (born between 1872-1893) of George Bartlett (1850-1921), an agricultural labourer and his wife Elizabeth (née Webb:1852-1915).
At the time of the 1881 Census the family lived at Maugersbury and when that of 1891 was taken they were located at Pratts Row, Oddington. It has not proved possible to identify them in the 1901 Census but no doubt they were still living in Oddington.
In 1906 Alfred married Charlotte Lavinia Wilkes (1881-1962) at Solihull, Warwickshire.
The couple had two children, Alfred (born 21 February 1907) and Robert (28 September 1910) but it has not proved possible to locate Alfred in the 1911 Census.
In the absence of any Army Service or Pension Record, the date of Alfred joining the Army cannot be ascertained with certainty. However, his Medal Rolls Index Card states that he first went abroad, with 42 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery on 19 August 1914, which may indicate that he was in service prior to the start of the Great War.
42nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery served with 3rd Division throughout the war. 3rd Division was one of the first format ions to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and participated in all the major battles.
Alfred had obviously left 42 Brigade to return to the UK prior to his death and he had been posted to 4th ‘B’ Reserve Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, located at Boyton Camp near Codford in Wiltshire.
The reason for his posting is not known but it could have been following recovery from wounds or sickness. According to his burial record he died at No 3 Camp, Corton, Boyton Camp on 16 March 1918, aged 40. A recently released Pension Record Card states the cause of death to be ‘valvular disease of the heart contracted on active service’.
Gunner Alfred Bartlett was brought back to Oddington and is buried in the churchyard of the parish church of St Nicholas, where a standard CWGC headstone marks his grave.
He is commemorated on the Oddington (Lower) War Memorial.
Research by Graham Adams 17th May 2021 with acknowledgement to a Public Members Tree on
Ancestry (for the photograph)
According to his death certificate (available at the GRO for £3.50 – I have a copy if needed) Alfred died of Valvular Disease of the Heart and Syncope at No 3 Camp, Corton, Boyton, Wiltshire and his unit is described as 22nd Battery, 4B Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
4B Reserve Brigade is how the Long Long Trail describes the unit as opposed to the CWGC’s 4th B Reserve Brigade
Alfred enlisted on 31 Dec 1896 and served as Gunner 17759 until entering the Reserve on 2 Feb 1905, having spent most of his service in India – (his Chelsea Pensioner record can be found on Find My Past).
We know from the Baptism of his two children that he was living at Bentley Heath, Knowle in 1911. Knowle is in Solihull District where he married Charlotte who was born in Knowle
He re-enlisted in the Reserve on 4 Jan 1913 and was mobilised on 4 Aug 1914 arriving in France per above.
He is named on the Knowle War Memorial and in the lovely Soldiers Chapel inside Knowle Parish Church.
Here is a link to our memorial page which contains links to the memorials in Knowle feel free to use any of the additional information
https://www.swfhs.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4100:gnr-a-bartlett&catid=16:the-men-who-fell-in-ww1
kind regards
Ian – fellow WFA member
hello Ian – thank you for the useful update and including the FHS link which we’ll share so that others can benefit from it as well.