B/201564 Alfred Ticehurst, Rifle Brigade (also ASC, 5th London Regt and 17th London Regt)

 

Alfred Ticehurst is probably the Alfred Ticehurst born at Plumpton in 1895 whose birth was registered at Lewes in the September quarter of that year.

He appears on the 1901 census living at Frenches Farm in the civil parish of Heathfield (part of the rural district of Hailsham, East Sussex).  Family members recorded are: James F Ticehurst, a 43 year old farrier and head of the family, and his wife Elizabeth aged 45.  The couple had four children living with them when the census was taken: Frederick A Ticehurst (aged 18 and working as a baker), Dorothy Ticehurst (aged ten), William Ticehurst (aged eight) and Alfred (aged five).

Chailey Parish Magazine notes in March 1915 that Alfred Ticehurst is serving his King and Country.  In October 1915 it notes that he is a driver with the ASC in France.  By December 1917 however, he is recorded as Rifleman A Ticehurst, serving with the 2/5th London Regiment and this is the information which is then repeated monthly up to and including the final entry in July 1919.

 

His medal index card, shown above, clearly shows that in fact Alfred was overseas by October 1914. The abbreviations against his ASC number stand for Base Depot, Transport & Supply. The information contained against his entry in the British War and Victory Medal roll is extremely helpful and states the following: 

 

ASC Dvr T/1/4145 5/London Regt B/201564 2/Rif. Brig. 17/London Regiment.

 

The B/ number certainly belongs to the series used by the Rifle Brigade and is most certainly NOT a London Regiment number. The roll also gives some dates:

 

1(a) 13.10.14 to 25.9.17; 1(a) 26.9.17 to 4.12.17; 1(a) 4.7.18 to 12.7.18; 1(a) 13.7.18 to 11.11.18

 

1(a) is France and the dates would appear to be the dates that Alfred served with the four different units he served with during the First World War.