Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

De Ruvigny's PETER, ALFRED EDWIN, 2nd Lieut. (Acting Capt.), 3rd (Reserve) Battn. The North Staffordshire Regt., attd. 9th (Service) Battn. The Leicestershire Regt. 3rd and yst s. of Reginald Arthur Peter, of Klymiarven, Looe, J.P., by his wife, the late Adela Church, dau. of the late Rev. Alfred Taylor; b. Looe. co. Cornwall, 21 April, 1882; educ. Blundell's School, Tiverton; was manager of large tea estates in Ceylon; obtained release from engagement and returned to England in Sept. 1915; gazetted 2nd Lieut. in Nov. 1915; serve with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 28 July, 1916, and was killed in action 25 Sept. following, while leading his men in a succesful attack near Gueuedecourt. Buried there. Amongst many appreciative letters from his brother officers and the men under his command, his Commanding Officer wrote: " Your husband was such a cheery soul and such a good officer, his death was a great blow to us all." His death was also referred to by his General, as a very great loss to the brigade. He m. in Ceylon, 8 April, 1912, Kathleen Frances, dau. of L.W. Booth, C.M.G., of the Ceylon Civil Service.

Probate PETER Alfred Edwin of Klymearven East Looe Cornwall died 25 September 1916 in France on active service Probate London 26 January to Reginald Arthur Peter the younger major R.G.A. Effects £1457 6s. 1d.

Masonic :

Planter in Ceylon in 1911. The contribution record shows "Died" in the 1914 column. The date of death is way out from official record, so perhaps Alfred left early for England to join up, and the lodge lost touch after that.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley