Newton-le-Willows and Earlestown War Memorial

In Memory of

Private Alfred Simm

251482
“D” Company 1st/6th Battalion Manchester Regiment
Killed in Action 23rd June 1917 Age 22

Alfred was the son of William and Sarah Ann Simm of 253, Crow Lane West, Newton Common, Newton-le-Willows. He was an old Manor School scholar, under Mr. Collinge, and gained scholarships in 1907. This was followed by four years tuition at Ashton Grammar School. He started work as a clerk at the Salford Branch of Parrs Banking Co. Ltd.

According to the obituary published in the Newton and Earlestown Guardian on July 6th 1917, Alfred tried to join the forces in November 1914 but did not succeed in getting accepted until November 1915, when he was sent successively to Southport, Cadford and Whitley. He was afterwards drafted to Egypt, and from there, in March 1917, to France.

According to a letter from W. H. Parr, Chaplain to Forces, published in the obituary, Alfred “and his friend, Collins, were both struck by the same shell and instantaneously. Neither suffered pain; that is a great comfort.” He described him as “a lad of lofty ideal, clean, pure, staunch in his life.”

Alfred is buried in Ruyaulcourt Military Cemetery in Row C Grave 10. The village of Ruyaulcourt is eleven kilometres east of Bapaume and nineteen kilometres south-west of Cambrai. The cemetery has over three hundred First World War graves of which ten are unidentified.