Ashtead War Memorials - WWI
Pte Alfred James Newman
17th Bn Royal Fusiliers
Although the CWGC record makes no connection to Ashtead he is connected to the village in Soldiers Died in the Great War as Pte Alfred James Newman: 17th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment): died 27/07/16: Born Chickerell [nr Weymouth], Resident Ashtead, Enlisted Epsom, with the same service no.PS/9708 as CWGC. CWGC shows Dorset addresses for next of kin as below. [via Ian Whitlock, source SDGW]
He was the son of John Ayles Newman and Elizabeth Newman, of "Lynton," York Rd., Broadstone, Dorset; husband of Sarah Newman, of 7, Greenhill Terrace, Portland, Dorset. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A of the Thiepval Memorial.
The action in which Alfred was lost has been described as follows:
Delville Wood was important for two reasons. If the Germans held the southern part of the wood they could use it as a base to fire on any British attack east towards Ginchy. This was an important British target, as it would improve the connection between the British Fourth Army and the French to the south east. Haig was also concerned that the Germans could use the woods as a base for a counterattack south west along Caterpillar Valley, which was being used by the British artillery.
The first attack on the wood came on 15 July, when the South African Brigade, part of the 9th Division, captured all but the north west corner of the woods, and then fought off German counterattacks from the north and east. An attack on 17 July failed to take that last corner. Overnight on 17/18 July a heavy German bombardment set the woods alight, and a German counterattack on 18 July recaptured all but the very southern edge of the wood.
This remained the pattern at Delville Wood throughout the rest of July. The most important attack came on 27 July. After a heavy artillery bombardment the 15th Brigade of the 5th Division and the 99th Brigade of the 2nd Division advanced into the shattered remains of the wood, and captured most of it. Only the northern and eastern edges remained in German hands.
They were slowly pushed out of those positions during August, and on 30 August the British front line had been pushed north and east of the woods. On 31 August the Germans made yet another counterattack, recapturing a narrow band in the north east corner of the wood. A British counterattack failed to retake this narrow band of the wood on 3 September.
source: http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_delville_wood.html
His Life
28 Feb 09: Brian Bouchard added: AJ Newman's birth was registered at Weymouth 3/1889. I suspect that if he lived in Ashtead it could have been with relatives, T Newman, 2 Graylands Cottages, both in Gladstone Road, or W Newman of Woodfield Lane.
28 Feb 09: Tony Newman: I am unaware of any connection between Alfred or any other family member and Ashtead. So there is an immediate mystery. I have very little on Alfred James NEWMAN anyway, except to know he was book lover and he was killed at Delville Wood in France. I didn?t even know he was married. How soon it all gets forgotten.
Alfred was born 31 January 1889 at Chickerell, Dorset where his father, John Ayles NEWMAN had a grocery business. John Ayles NEWMAN was born in Weymouth but his paternal ancestors were all born in Portland.
Alfred’s grandfather was William NEWMAN, in 1841 described (in the census return) as seaman, of Paragon Place, Portland. William later captained his own vessel Marnull in which (according to Lloyds Register of Shipping, 1869, though it gets his birth-year wrong) he plied the Baltic trade. J Meade Falkner, who wrote Moonfleet, and like William lived in Weymouth, took the Marnhull name for a vessel in his novel.
One anecdote concerning Alfred rather shows him in a glowing light. It came from his brother William. It concerns an incident at the Wesleyan Methodist Day School at Fortuneswell, Portland. Alfred’s brother likened this event to the Squeers and Smike episode in Nicholas Nickleby.
The former well-respected schoolmaster, Mr H Epsley, retired. He was replaced by a very different kind of man by the name of Mellors. Mellors was in the habit of picking on a partially deformed boy by the name of Walter COMBEN, one of a large family. The boy’s mother had died and his father remarried, the stepmother focusing her nasty nature in ill-treatment of the unfortunate and helpless Walter. The boy had no one at home or at school to take his part. His life must have been an especially miserable one.
After one particularly brutal punishment of Walter from Mellors, Alfred confronted Mellors about it, threatening to knock him down if he didn’t change his attitude toward the boy. In the course of the exchange Alfred called the schoolmaster a ‘Sanctimonious Humbug’ or words to that effect. On account of this Alfred was asked to resign his position at the school. At least it shows Alfred was a worthwhile human being.
28 Feb 14: Frank Haslam: Alfred is commemorated on Broadstone's War Memorials website (Dorset). He is named on two memorials:
St John’s Church, Broadstone
In January 1921 Martin Travers produced a wooden War Memorial Tablet for £33. It was decided to include the names of those who had actually resided in Broadstone together with husbands, brothers and sons of the inhabitants.
From Broadstone Church Magazine.Broadstone Recreation Ground
‘Memory’ sculpted by Gilbert Bayes. "A war memorial recreation ground, embracing cricket, football, tennis and bowling greens and gardens was presented to the parish in 1920 by Miss Kennedy, of the Delph House, in memory of the men who fell in the Great War, and standing in the grounds is a handsome memorial, erected by public subscription, depicting a figure of Memory, carved in Portland stone".
8 Feb 2015: Frank Haslam: from Bob Newman, in Maryland USA "I just wanted to let you know Alfred James Newman listed on the St. Georges WW1 memorial was my Great Uncle. He was the brother of my grandfather Edwin Charles Newman who emigrated to the US in the late 1920s. I have information including memorabilia on Alfred in case anyone is ever interested."
In the light of the earlier anecdote about Alfred confronting a bullying teacher it is interesting that Alfred continued in teaching as recorded in the 1911 Census, when boarding at 7 Greenhill Terrace, Fortune Well, Portland in the Registration District of Weymouth. He signed the enumeration form for the senior member of the household, Sarah Davis (71). Alfred was 22; Sarah's daughters Annie (40), Sarah (32) and Lucy (28) also lived there, as did another boarder Charles B Taylor (27).
In August 1914 Alfred was teaching at a school in Antwerp. He wrote to his mother just before Britain declared war on Germany. Germany invaded Belgium on August 3, 1914 and Britain declared war on Germany the following day:
| c/o Rempart du Lombard Antwerp, Belgium August 1st 1914 My Dear Mother, Things are looking very bad in this town. Crowds of
soldiers are in the town and all business is practically at
a standstill. The Port is closed for cargo boats and after
eight days all the food will be used for the soldiers. I am
leaving here on Monday night and shall arrive home sometime
on Tuesday. I cannot leave before as no boat leaves tomorrow
(Sunday). And I cannot go this evening as my coat will not
be finished till 8 O'Clock and in addition I shall not be
able to change my money until Monday as nobody will accept
paper money today. Money is coming from Brussels on Monday
but today there is none in the town as there has been a
'run' on the bank. I am sorry that the scare has arisen
especially just when I happen to go on the continent, but I
suppose it is my luck and also the 'fortunes of war'. |
 Tout à vous Alf One can only speculate on the recipient of the dedication on this photo, vous rather than the more intimate toi. Antwerp is in the Flemish speaking part of Belgium. image source: Bob Newman |
As shown in the CWGC record, Sarah Newman was Alfred's widow. Their marriage was recorded in the first quarter of 1916 and took place in the registration district of Poole, Dorset. Sarah was Sarah Davis, last seen five years earlier in the 1911 Census as the 32 year old daughter of his landlady at 7 Greenhill Terrace, Fortune Well, Portland.
Bob also provides a transcript of a letter that AJ Newman wrote to his brother, Bob's grandfather, three days before AJ was killed in the Battle of the Somme:
I am very sorry, old sport, not to have been able to reply to your very welcome and interesting letter sooner, but trust you will forgive the unavoidable delay, and make all brotherly allowance for my apparent slackness. Your letter did interest me, old son and you must have taken quite a lot of trouble in arranging and writing out the effects and descriptions of Maskelyne's show. I had no idea that your knowledge of the Magic Art was so profound. Your explanations were all quite correct and written out with all the expertness of an old hand at the game.
There was only one mistake, old son, and that one quite excusable - you appear to have mixed up Nevil Maskerlyne [Maskelyne] with his father John Nevil M. The son is getting on in years now, and judging from the programme it was this son and not the 'old man' who took part in the Gogi's Star and also in the 'Philosopher's'. They are somewhat alike so it would be quite easy to confound the two. However, once again, a damned good account, and many many thanks for same.
Now, old chap, I am going to tell you a bit of a secret. I have put in some time in the trenches and at times have had a hell of a time from shell fire etc. but have concealed it from mother for obvious reasons. We have been shifted to another part of the line, and at present are awaiting our turn to go in and do 'our bit'. I cannot say where we are, but we shall probably get a damn hot time as we are right in the thick of it here. However, we must hope for the best, and trust that this 'Macbethian' business will soon be over.
I do not intend to tell mother anything about it, as it will only upset her. Do all you can to cheer her up, old son, and tell her a few 'fairy tales' about me at times. It's no good shouting until you are hit, and perhaps that will never be, in which case we shall be saving her a lot of unnecessary worry.
I hope you had a good time in London, but trust your business will not come off for some time yet. Keep going at Broadstone for as long as you possibly can, and give the other the 'go by' until it is really necessary. Comprenez-vous?
I expect it seemed quite like old times to cover the familiar ground again. Did you put up I expect you know that Attie is in Jersey. I persuaded her to go there for a rest and a change, and I am glad to know she is keeping well.
I have written her asking her to instruct the photographer at Edinburgh to send you a Lafayette photo similar to mine, and I hope it will reach you in good time.
I am sorry to say that Capt. Franklin* of my old battalion (see group) was killed in action. He was shot through the head. The man was a good sport and a fine soldier.
I wrote to mother today and trust she will get my letter all right. Apologize to Will for my not writing yet, but tell him I will do so at the first opportunity.
Now must see about turning in - under the stars. Will write again as soon as possible,
Alf
P.S. Postal address still the same.(This was typed from original handwritten letter by Bob Newman, April 29, 2012. It was written to Charles Newman, his younger brother and my grandfather. Alfred James Newman was killed in action three days after this letter was written. He was killed on July 27, 1916 in the Battle of the Somme at Delville Woods. His remains were never recovered. He was 27 years old.
* Brian Bouchard adds: possibly Captain Henry Franklin, kia 8/7/1916, also on Thiepval Memorial. He was, however, in a different battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, the 8th (Alfred's 'old battalion). A letter on eBay from Pte E Allen 8670, dated 12/11/17, to Franklin's father explains that Allen was one of Franklin's 'rank and file'. "May it comfort you then to know your son died the death of a hero, with his face to the foe. My two chums and I stumbled over his dead body. He was still holding his revolver; but alas! he would never use it again. He was about twenty yards from the Bosche lines, shot through the head and side. The village of Ovillers took in its mouth the death of several great men, but none so loved as my late Captain."
Like Alfred Newman, Franklin's name is among the missing recorded on the Thiepval Memorial. Despite this eyewitness account of Franklin's remains, it may not have been possible to recover them for burial - and that subsequently they were lost in the churning of the battlefield. And who knows, perhaps E Allen and Alfred Newman's paths may have crossed?
There were references in that last letter to the 'Magic Art'. Bob Newman has found the following poster in the family papers which shows that Alfred had earned a living as an 'Original Magician'. One wonders how he fitted this in with being a teacher, which was his profession at the age of 22 recorded in the 1911 Census. It gives yet another address for him: 'Westcliff', Craven Road, Upper Parkstone, Dorset.
top part of poster - rest is a blank space: source: Bob Newman
Delville Wood Links
http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/somme/delville.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delville_Wood
https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-cemeteries-and-memorials/61100/delville-wood-cemetery
compiled by Frank Haslam from information on CWGC, SDGW and mainly via
Brian Bouchard, with thanks to Bob and Tony Newman; and to Jill Floyd
who has researched the names of the Broadstone memorials.
If you can add to this page please contact
the editor.
page added 2 Mar 2009: updated 23 Mar 2009: 24 Feb 14: 12 Feb 2015: 16
Feb 15: 28 Nov 17