Louis Allcock

Surname: 'Alcock' on service documents. The 1901 census gives his first names as 'Louis Josh A'. He was born about 1887, the son of EMJ Thomas Alcock and the stepson of Agnes Alcock. A member of his family completed a form for the Army in October 1919 listing Louis' living relatives and from this it appears that he had seven siblings living (all described as 'full blood' relatives): Charlie (13 Lord Nelson Street, Sneinton, Nottingham), William ('somewhere Nottingham'), Jamie/?Tommie ('somewhere Sheffield'), John (16, Mill Street, Birr, Ireland), Teresa Bates (23 Summer Street, Nottingham), Ellen Pembleton ('Nottingham') and Victoria Fahey (22, Townsend Street, Birr, Ireland). His widowed stepmother, Agnes Alcock, was living at Mill Street, Birr, Ireland; presumably the youngest boy, John, was living with her. Born in Dublin, Louis had moved to England by 1901 when he is recorded on the census at the age of 14 as a servant in the household of William Henry Gray, surgeon, at 68 West Gate, Mansfield. William Gray (30) and his wife, Charlotte, had two children, Dorothy (1) and William Henry (4m.) and employed three young indoor servants; Mary Walner (17), Betsy Hubbard (16) and Louis. By April 1903 Louis had enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry and served with the regiment until March 1911. In the 1911 census he is recorded in his older brother Charlie's household at 42 Marcus Street, Lenton, Nottingham. Charlie (31, b. Shorncliff, Kent) and his wife, Edith, had no children but two of Charlie's siblings were living with them, Louis and Ellen (17, b. Dublin). Louis was mobilized on the outbreak of war. His sole legatee was a Miss Nellie Cordon of Radford. It is likely that Nellie was the daughter of Thomas and Josephine Cordon who in 1911 were living with their three children, Nellie (17, occ. box bander), John Liller (12) and William Lionel (9), at 9 Havelock Terrace, Nottingham. Nellie's correspondence with the Army after Louis' death shows that she later lived at 5 Citadel Street, Radford.

According to his service record he belonged to the Church of England. In 1901 at the age of 14 Louis was a servant in a private household in Mansfield. He enlisted in the DLI in April 1903 when his occupation was given as 'waiter'. He served in the DLI until March 1911 when he transferred to the Army Reserve. At the time of the 1911 census he was a policeman. He was mobilized on the outbreak of war.

His service record survives. He attested at the age of 18y. 1m. in Derby on 9 April 1903 on a 12 year short service engagement; 3 years army service, 9 years reserve service. However, in July 1905 he applied successfully to extend his service to eight years service with the colours. He joined the Depot in Newcastle on 16 April 1903 and then continued to serve in the UK until his transfer to the Army Reserve in 1911. The regimental conduct sheet records a series of misdemeanours during his career: 1 May 1905, Aldershot (L/Cpl): absent from Tattoo until 10.55pm on Coy. Pay night. Severely reprimanded. 2 June 1905, (-) Castle: disobedience of company orders and using filthy language. (punishment illegible, possibly lost rank as L/Cpl). 19 October 1905, Newcastle on Tyne: having a woman in the Garrison Police Hut about 8.30pm. Punishment 168 hours IHL(?). 24 September 1910: cases of drunkenness. (punishment illegible). He transferred to the Army Reserve on 5 March 1911 after completing 7 years 240 days with the DLI. He was mobilized on the outbreak of war and disembarked with the BEF on 8 September 1914. He was killed in action at the Battle of the Aisne less than two weeks later on 21 September 1914. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial. He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. The 1914 Star was sent to his sole legatee, Nellie Cordon, at 5 Citadel Street, Radford, on 28 August 1919. CWGC - The La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial (extract): this memorial 'commemorates 3,740 officers and men of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) who fell at the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne and the Aisne between the end of August and early October 1914 and have no known graves.'

Surname: 'Alcock' on service documents. Nottingham Evening Post, 'Deaths', 16 October 1914: ‘Alcock (sic). On September 21st, Private Louis Alcock, Durham Light Infantry, killed in action Expeditionary Force.’ Article published in the Nottingham Evening Post, 16th October 1914:- “FROM FIGHTING STOCK. “NOTTM. MAN KILLED IN HIS BAPTISM OF FIRE. “It has been reported to his relatives in Nottingham that Private Louis Alcock, of the Durham Light Infantry, was killed in action on September 21st. He was a reservist, about 27 years of age, and had previously seen service in India, but be met his death during his baptism of fire in the Battle of the Aisne. Three days before he was killed he wrote to one of his brothers in Nottingham saying he was about two miles from the fighting line. “Alcock came from fighting stock. Charles Alcock, his brother, served through the Egyptian campaign with Lord Kitchener, and also was through the South African war, being with the besieged in Ladysmith, and wounded several times in the attack on Surprise Hill Another brother, Sergt-Drummer Alec Alcock, of the Border Regiment, is serving with the Expeditionary Force and yet another, William, fought in South Africa, while their father was 36 years in the army, retiring with the good conduct and meritorious service medals.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Soldiers’ Effects register: Alcock (sic) Louis. ‘In action’, b. Golden Bridge, Dublin. Enlisted 9 July 1903, occupation waiter. Will in favour of Miss Nellie Cordon (sole legatee). Letter dated 9 March 1915 from Miss N Cordon, 5 Citadel Street, Radford, Nottingham, filed with service records: ‘Many thanks for parcel containing Princess Mary’s gift which I received quite safe last Sunday. I will treasure it along with everything else which belonged to Pte L Alcock. Again, thanking you for forwarding it. I am, yours sincerely, N Cordon.'