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becomes 62719 Alfred Craythorne. He claims to be 21 years
and 4 months old (in fact he is a year older), lived in Kings Cliffe
and was a labourer. He was 5ft 11in tall (1.8m), weighed 147lbs
(83kg), with grey eyes, and brown hair. The last two joints of his
middle finger on his left hand were missing. He was transferred
immediately to the Royal Garrison Artillery and his number
changed to 62763.
In September 1888 he went to India and remained there until May
1901. He left the army, at his own request, on 17th October 1902.
It would not be an understatement to say that his first military
career was little short of a disaster. In the 15 years that he was
in the army he was sentenced 19 times by civil or military courts.
He was in hospital 19 times, a total of 271 days, with various
ailments from corns to gonorrhoea. He was also the subject
of two courts of enquiry but, in both, his version of events was
believed.
There can be no doubt that he suffered from a severe drink
problem, as all of his arrests (and many of his illnesses) were
drink-related. Despite being on a charge for being drunk in
barracks as late as May 1901, his discharge papers, under
‘Conduct and Character’, stated “Latterly good”!
His discharge papers also described him as being 36 years and
5 months old which were incorrect as he was just over 37 years
old. He stated that he intended to live in Kings Cliffe where his
71-year-old widowed mother lived on Park Street.
Again there is a gap in his records until 1914. An examination
of Oundle/Stamford/ Peterborough court records might well fill
some of that gap, as there is reason to believe that he had not
conquered his drink problem.
In September 1914, when Kitchener called for volunteers, Alfred
was one of the first to join up on 7th September. He joined the
Northamptonshire Regiment in Peterborough and claimed his
age as 42 years and 3 months. In reality he was 49 years and
3 months. Either his maths were very poor or, more likely, he
gave a false age as the army were unlikely to accept a man just
short of his 50th birthday – at least not at that early stage of the
54
and 4 months old (in fact he is a year older), lived in Kings Cliffe
and was a labourer. He was 5ft 11in tall (1.8m), weighed 147lbs
(83kg), with grey eyes, and brown hair. The last two joints of his
middle finger on his left hand were missing. He was transferred
immediately to the Royal Garrison Artillery and his number
changed to 62763.
In September 1888 he went to India and remained there until May
1901. He left the army, at his own request, on 17th October 1902.
It would not be an understatement to say that his first military
career was little short of a disaster. In the 15 years that he was
in the army he was sentenced 19 times by civil or military courts.
He was in hospital 19 times, a total of 271 days, with various
ailments from corns to gonorrhoea. He was also the subject
of two courts of enquiry but, in both, his version of events was
believed.
There can be no doubt that he suffered from a severe drink
problem, as all of his arrests (and many of his illnesses) were
drink-related. Despite being on a charge for being drunk in
barracks as late as May 1901, his discharge papers, under
‘Conduct and Character’, stated “Latterly good”!
His discharge papers also described him as being 36 years and
5 months old which were incorrect as he was just over 37 years
old. He stated that he intended to live in Kings Cliffe where his
71-year-old widowed mother lived on Park Street.
Again there is a gap in his records until 1914. An examination
of Oundle/Stamford/ Peterborough court records might well fill
some of that gap, as there is reason to believe that he had not
conquered his drink problem.
In September 1914, when Kitchener called for volunteers, Alfred
was one of the first to join up on 7th September. He joined the
Northamptonshire Regiment in Peterborough and claimed his
age as 42 years and 3 months. In reality he was 49 years and
3 months. Either his maths were very poor or, more likely, he
gave a false age as the army were unlikely to accept a man just
short of his 50th birthday – at least not at that early stage of the
54
