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Pte. Alfred Long MM.
British Army 17th (2nd Leeds) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Leeds
Alfred Long died in 1972 aged 76. I was aged 8 years old at the time and the youngest of his 6 Grandchildren. My only memory of him was his short stature, kind wrinkley face and sitting on the floor next to his rocking chair whilst he rocked gently and puffed cigar smoke towards me. I was always told never to ask Grandad about the war as it was too terrible for him to recall. In later years my cousin, who lived with my Grandparents for a couple of years, told me how Grandad would not allow vinegar in the house and that no-one was allowed vinegar on their fish and chips as a result of being a victim of a gas attack.
I was told that Alfred Long was in the KOYLI's but once I started to investigate I found that he was in the 17th (2nd Leeds) West Yorkshire Regiment. At 5' 3" he was only able to join the newly formed Bantam regiment. Army form z21 states that he was in the Army Cyclist Corps.
Alfred was was taken prisoner at the Somme. Again a story told to cousin said that he charmed and befriended a prison guard which ensured relatively good treatment and enabled a degree of trading to take place. He received the standard repatriation letter from the King (which stated he was in the 11th Cyclist Corps. I have not been able to find which P.O.W. camp he was at or the date of his capture. He was awarded the Portuguese Military Medal.
