Private Alwyn WYKES
5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment 203859
1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment 203859
Alwyn was born in Spratton in October 1885, the son of William Wykes, a farm labourer, and his wife, Hannah (née Manning, a long-established family in Spratton). He lived in a cottage on the corner of Haynes Lane and Manor Road, Spratton, with his brothers John Andrew (known as Jack), Harold and Bert and sisters Sarah Ann and Emily Ellen. He worked as a farm labourer and also as a market gardener. Both Alwyn and his brother Jack served in the First World War. It was unusual at that time, that Alwyn and his brother both signed their Attestation papers with a cross, rather than signing their own name.
Alwyn joined the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment Reserve on 16 February 1916 and was mobilised on 1 May 1917. He was posted to France and served as a stretcher bearer. The following year he was reported missing on 28 April 1918, but was found injured three days later. He was discharged on 12 March 1919 and awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
In April 1920 he married Isabel Florence Green (née Keeber) and a daughter Rita Lucy was born in 1921. Isabel was the widow of Benjamin Green of First Turn, Spratton, who had been killed in action in France in 1916.
Alwyn died in Northampton on 12 December1951, aged 66, and is buried in the new Parish Cemetery in Spratton with his wife, Isabel.
Bedfordshire Regiment badge
Bedfordshire Regiment badge
EXPLORE SECTIONS
MEN WHO SERVED
- Private Charles Herbert AUSTIN (known as Herbert)
- Corporal Frank AUSTIN
- Lance Corporal James William AUSTIN
- Private John Samuel AUSTIN
- Sergeant William Henry AUSTIN
- Sergeant Bertie Henry BALDERSON
- Corporal Frederick Charles BALDERSON MM
- Lance Corporal Robert Samuel BALDERSON
- Private George William BUCKBY (known as William)
- Private Henry Andrew BUCKBY
- Richard Henry Horne BUCKBY
- Transport Sergeant Thomas BUCKBY MM
- Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY
- William Archibald COPSON (known as Archibald)
- Sapper Ebenezer COPSON
- Private Ernest Edward COPSON
- Pioneer Henry Owman COPSON (known as Harry)
- Private James COPSON
- Private John William COPSON
- Private Joseph COPSON
- Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
- Private Hugh Henry GOODEN
- Sergeant Joseph Eric GOODEN (known as Eric)
- Private Arthur Thomas HAYTER
- Driver Frank Leonard HAYTER
- Private Harold Herbert HAYTER
- Lance Corporal John Charles HAYTER DCM (known as Jack)
- Private Walter Ernest HAYTER
- Ordinary Seaman Arthur Charles HORNE
- Private John William HORNE (known as William)
- Lance Corporal Lewis HORNE
- Private Thomas HORNE
- Driver John Henry LEESON
- Corporal Joseph Henry LEESON (known as Harry)
- Thomas Baden Powell LEESON (known as ‘Bard’)
- Private Albert MANNING
- Corporal Amos MANNING
- Private Arthur Cecil MANNING
- Private George MANNING
- Sergeant George William MANNING
- Sapper Henry Stanley MANNING (known as Stanley)
- Private John Thomas MANNING
- Private John William MANNING
- Air Mechanic Nathaniel MANNING
- Driver/Saddler Samuel MANNING
- Gunner George Albert MARTIN
- Private Joseph MARTIN
- Private Thomas Henry MARTIN (known as Harry)
- Private Thomas Walter MARTIN (known as Walter)
- Pioneer Walter Ernest MARTIN
- Sergeant William Higgs MARTIN, DCM
- Private Arthur Walter PAGE
- Private Francis Samuel PAGE (known as Sam)
- Private Frank PAGE
- Private Stephen PAGE
- Lieutenant George REEVE MC MM
- Private Richard Henry REEVE (known as Harry)
- Private Samuel REEVE
- Private Sidney Philip REEVE
- Private Frederick Thomas RICHARDSON
- Private John William RICHARDSON
- Private Percy John Partridge RICHARDSON
- Private Abraham Bert SMITH
- Private Alfred SMITH
- Private Frank SMITH 46648
- Private John Samuel SMITH
- Private John William SMITH (6942)
- Private John William (William John) SMITH (8964)
- Private Charles Walter WADHAMS
- Private John Edward WADHAMS
- Private Thomas Edwin WADHAMS
- Private William WADHAMS