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Cpl. Alfred George Drake VC.
British Army 8th Btn. Rifle Brigade
from:London
(d.23rd Nov 1915)
Alfred George Drake served with the 8th Battalion the Rifle Brigade during WW1. He was killed in action on the 23rd November 1915, aged 22 and is buried in La Brique Military Cemetery No. 2 in Belgium. He was the son of Robert and Mary Ann Drake, of 62, Copley St., Stepney, London.
An extract from The London Gazette, No. 29447, dated 21st Jan., 1916, records the following:- For most conspicuous bravery on the night of 23rd Nov., 1915, near La Brique, France. He was one of a patrol of four which was reconnoitering towards the German lines. The patrol was discovered when close to the enemy who opened heavy fire with rifles and a machine gun, wounding the Officer and one man. The latter was carried back by the last remaining man. Corporal Drake remained with his Officer and was last seen kneeling beside him and bandaging his wounds regardless of the enemy's fire. Later a rescue party crawling near the German lines found the Officer and Corporal, the former unconscious but alive and bandaged, Corporal Drake beside him dead and riddled with bullets. He had given his own life and saved his Officer.
The officer rescued by Corporal Drake was Lieutenant Henry Tryon also of the Rifle Brigade. After Tryon recovered from his wounds he returned to his former unit and was killed in action at Flers-Courcelette on 15 September 1916. His body was not identified after the war and he is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
