COURT Alfred E

The Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Messenger, Saturday 22nd May 1915:
Webheath Territorial Drowned
Mrs Court of Webheath Lane, Webheath, Redditch, the widow of the deceased, has received letters from Mrs Peake, wife of Colonel Peake, commanding the 8th Worcesters, and from Lieutenant, J. N. Bendyshe, of that corps, informing her that her husband, Private Alfred Court, has been drowned while bathing in the River Lys, and was buried near Armentieres. Private Court was 25 years of age, and was married at Christmas. Deceased was a member of the Machine Gun Detachment.

The letter from Lieutenant Bendyshe stated that Private Court, dived into the river, and as he did not rise several men went in to get him out. When they recovered the body everything possible was done to restore consciousness, but without success. The officer concluded: “He was one of my best and most reliable gun numbers. His previous experience in the service made him valuable in the battalion. You have my sympathy and my prayers in your great sorrow.”

Captain S. H. Clark has also addressed Mrs Court in a letter as follows: “The death of your husband on Monday last was a great grief to me, and all his old friends in H Company. I had known him for some years, and had a high opinion of him. He had not been with me for some time now, as he had been in the machine gun section, but I know he was doing good work there, and had a high reputation as he had with us, as a good, thorough, reliable soldier. He was very popular with his comrades and I am convinced from what I know of him, was a thoroughly good Christian man. He was a great loss to the company and to the regiment. Our hearts go out in real sympathy to you for we feel it was a sad married life yours must have been, so soon parted from you husband. We pray that god may help and comfort you in your great sorrow”.

Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Messenger digitised by and courtesy of Martin Stephens.

On 1911 census Alfred Court aged 22, Cycle Maker, lived with his parents William Henry and Ruth Court and siblings at 137 St Georges Road, Redditc