Private Alfred Flegg





Private Alfred Flegg
Born Little Walsingham
Enlisted Westminster, Living in Walworth, Surrey
44622, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment
Died on Sunday 1st September 1918

Vis en Artois Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Grave Ref/Panel 7



The only obvious Alfred Flegg of the 5 listed on the Genes Reunited Transciption of the 1901 Census for England and Wales was already aged 36.

He was born Little Walsingham, (although could as easily read Gt Walsingham), was single, employed as an Agricultural Labourer,
and was recorded at Swan Entry, Little Walsingham.

This was the household of his widowed mother, Phoebe , (aged 77 and from Wighton), plus a Mary Wright, (aged 34 and from Wighton),
who has three children including a 1 year old Alfred Wright, (born Little Walsingham).

This is speculation on my part but if Alfred the Labourer married Mary Wright, then his step-children may well have taken his surname,
and so this could be the Alfred Flegg we are looking for.

Going on to the 1911 census, we do indeed have an Alfred John Flegg, born circa 1900, Little Walsingham, and still recorded in the Walsingham District,
living in a household that includes an Alfred (born Great Walsingham) and a Mary Maria Flegg, (born Wighton)



Throughout the latter part of August 1918 the 2nd battalion Essex Regiment (12th Brigade, 4th Division) had been involved in pushing the Germans back
to the Drocourt-Queant Line (“Wotanstellung”). This trench was part of the Hindenburg Line and is located halfway between Arras and Cambrai.

On the night of 1st September 1918 the 2nd Essex pushed on taking more German trenches with little difficulty
but they were then halted by withering machine gun fire which kept them pinned down for several hours.

research in blue by Peter Clarke




Vis en Artois Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France


This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice
in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.