Soldier Record
Alfred William Elson
Contributed by: Michael E. Palmer, on 2008-11-09
| Rank | |
|---|---|
| First Name | Alfred William |
| Surname | Elson |
| Year of Birth | 1888 |
| Year of Death | 1958 |
| Regiment | Royal Field Artillery |
| Place of Wartime Residence | Watford, Hertfordshire |
Alfred William's Story
My Grandfather Alfred Elson, volunteered for the artillery & spent the duration on the "big guns". He once told me that every time he and the gun crew went on duty, they passed the body of at least one dead British soldier, even though they were quite far from the front line.
Grandfather was gassed twice during his period of service. He survived,according to his doctor, thanks to "a first class physical condition and good lungs".
My most prized momento of my Grandfather is an engraved gun shell. This was given to Grandfather by a Belgium soldier as a "thank you" for his war effort.
Grandfather was demobbed in 1919. He told me that just before he and his comrades were leaving for England, they passed a group of German prisoners. One shouted at my Grandfather "Give us 20 years Tommy - we'll be back", something my Grandfather never forgot.
No additional memories have been submitted