Frederick B. De Vere Allfrey. Died 7th Sept 1914
Son of Frederick and Maud, of Ashridge, Wokingham. Born 21 September 1891, Frederick had a sister Vera Maud who was born about 1890. The family must have a wealthy one for in 1911 they had 7 staff living at Ashridge. He was a regular Army Officer and in 1911 was a 2nd Lieutenant, stationed in Canterbury, Kent. We can suppose that Frederick was involved in this action where he was killed, the regiment’s participation in the final ‘lance on lance’ action of the First World War on 7 September 1914 at Moncel, in which Lieutenant Colonel David Campbell led a charge of two troops of B Squadron and overthrew a squadron of the 1st Guard Dragoons. http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=2970925.
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ALLFREY, FREDERIC De VERE BRUCE
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Death: 07/09/1914
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: 9th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers
Grave Reference: West corner.
Cemetery: FRETOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Fretoy Communal Cemetery contains only three Commonwealth burials of the First World War.
Additional Information: Son of F. Vere Allfrey and Maud Allfrey, of Ashridgewood, Wokingham, Berks.
Ashridge, Wokingham 1914
Arborfield Court, Wokingham
I think ‘Benn’ in Frederick de Vere B. Allfrey’s name in the table of the family tree is a mistranscription of ‘Bruce’ in the 1901 census record – the handwritten entry looks a little like ‘Benn’ but this doesn’t occur anywhere else, does it?
Hi Liz, yes it will be Bruce. His Grandmother Mrs Bruce lived at Arborfield Manor just a few miles away. I certainly have not seen the use of Benn in any other record. Do you know Anne Wilkinson, she is very knowledgeable on the Allfrey’s. We would certainly like to make contact with the family members. Many thanks for your contribution. Mike Churcher mike@wokinghamremembers.com
I found this link about Allfrey when searching for information about my step grand-father, Guy Reynolds (then a 9th Lancer Captain). Alfrey was killed extracting the lance from Guy Reynold’s leg. Allfrey has always had a very special place in my family history for his selfless act of bravery.
I have just returned from a remarkable weekend in France where I was accompanying my friend Mary Baker on a walk of remembrance. Mary is retracing her Grandfather, James Baker of the British Expedition Force, who died in Troyon on September 14th.
On Sunday Sept 7th as we were walking 14 miles from Voudoy to Jouy sur Morin, we stopped for a rest at a bar, we were told of the ceremony at Montcel of the 9th Royal Lancers last “lance on lance” cavalry charge. We just arrived as the Lancers marched to the memorial stone, and we then witnessed a very moving ceremony standing in a field of maize. The Duke of York, the Battalions Commander in Chief laid a reath.
In the programme we were kindly given a copy of, I found the connection to Wokingham, and hence to this site. Lt F De V Allfrey and Capt Reynolds are mentioned in the programme. There is a very moving letter from Allfrey’s mother to a Private’s mother about the reburial of their sons also featured. ( I have a copy if anyone is interested in seeing the detail, and photo’s of the ceremony).
I have just returned from Le Montcel where I was asked by 9th Lancers Regiment to lay a wreath for my Great Great Uncle Private Arthur Tom Bryer, who is buried alongside Allfrey and Shoeingsmith Friend in Fretoy Cemetary. I have been advised by the Regiment that Arthur Tom was the only Lancer to die on the actual field of battle charge. My family also owe the Allfreys a huge thank you letter as they paid for all three graves to be re-dug and the bodies reinterred, owing to the fact that the graves were not dug deep enough at the time of burial. If anyone knows of contact email for them I would be grateful.
Interesting. My grandfather, Victor Monk, was a trooper in the 9th Lancers in 1914 and is buried in All Saints in Wokingham, having lived there from the late 20s until his death in 1970. Wokingham may wish to remember him, too.
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