Early Life :

Education & Career :

Usborne went to Wellington College in 1903 to the Benson, then called Bevir's after its housemaster, J L Bevir, a freemason himself and later a member of the Old Wellingtonian Lodge.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

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

9 April - 16 June 1917. The Arras Offensive consisted of a series of linked attacks starting with the Anglo Canadian assault on the dominant Vimy Ridge feature through the battles in the Scarpe River valley and up to the assaults on the Hindenburg line in the summer of 1917.

Detail :

He was killed in action in France having recovered from earlier wounds. According to one newspaper report he was survived by his widow and one son (though none appears on family tree). Elsewhere reported as one daughter. He was buried at night in a wood near Arras.

The villagers of Writtle who gave their lives in the Great War - Writtle Bellringers "Usborne, Alfred James USBORNE, ALFRED JAMES Major 50th Bde, Royal Field Artillery 29 th April 1917 Age: 27 Buried at: Ste Catherine British Cemetery K. 9 Pas De Calais, France

Sixth son of the late Thomas and Frances Alice Usborne of Writtle, Chelmsford. Husband of Nell Gordon Uscombe of 57 Harrington Gardens S.W. Educated: Wellington College, Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. College: St Thomas Hospital Born June 13th.1889 at Writtle. Married October 8th.1913 to Nell Gordon daughter of Gordon Price at Ooticamund, India. Died April 29th at Writtle Church where a screen across the south aisle was erected by his sister Margaret in his memory James was educated at Wellington and became a T/Major in the R.F.A. He was killed in action in France having recovered from earlier wounds. According to one newspaper report he was survived by his widow and one son (though none appears on family tree). Elsewhere reported as one daughter. He was "buried at night in a wood near Arras"

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. Killed in action on Sunday, the 29th April, Alfred James Usborne, Major, R.F.A., husband of Nell Gordon Uscombe of 57 Harrington Gardens S.W., and sixth son of the late Thomas and Frances Alice Usborne of Writtle, Chelmsford, aged 27. The Times 9th May From March 1916 to the Armistice, Ste. Catherine was occupied by Commonwealth forces and for much of that time it was within the range of German artillery fire. The cemetery was started in March 1916 and used by the divisions and field ambulances stationed on that side of Arras until the autumn of The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the surrounding area. Ste Catherine British Cemetery contains 339 First World War burials. Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire In the context of our remembering the centenary of the start of the First World War, it is interesting to add a further note on the origins of our village clock. It was installed in 1919 in memory of Major Alfred James Usborne, of the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) by his sister and it replaced an earlier clock, also installed by John Smith and Sons in A small plaque in the ringing chamber records the clock s dedication on St James s day, July 25th, 1919 and a larger plaque is on the SW pier of the crossing in the south transept. Major Usborne came of a well-to-do family in Writtle, Essex, was killed in action in April 1917, having been previously wounded and returned to the front, and was buried at Arras. There is apparently a memorial screen dedicated to his memory in the church at Writtle, also paid for by his sister. The connection with Cuddesdon was through their uncle, Sir Edward O Malley of Denton House."

Chelmsford Chronicle 1st August 1919 "THE LATE MAJOR USBORNE - The memorial clock on Cuddesdon Church tower, near Oxford, to Major Alfred James Usborne, R.F.A., sixth and youngest son of the late Thomas and Frances Alice Usborne, of Writtle, was dedicated on Sunday by the Rev. J. B. Seaton, Principal of Cuddesdon Theological College and vicar. The students, members of his family, his relations and friends were present."

Citations & Commemorations :

Masonic :

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