b. 01/1887 Hastings, Sussex. d. 01/07/1918 Belloy-sur-Somme, France.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 30/06/1918 France.
Alfred E M Horn
AM Grave
Alfred was one of five children of James and Isobel Horn, and he grew up in Hastings, before the family moved to Chelmsford. He studied at the Essex Industrial School. In 1912, he married Lillian Chalk in Fulham, London, and on the outbreak of the Great War, he enlisted as a Driver with the Army Service Corps, number T/28896.
AM CITATION:
On the 30th June, 1918, a Corporal of the Royal Air Force, who had been lowered by a rope into a crater caused by a bomb which had been dropped by a hostile aeroplane, was overcome by carbon monoxide gas, which had accumulated in large quantities in the crater. Endeavours were made to haul him out, but his head became caught, and Private Johnson volunteered to descend and re-adjust the rope, which he did successfully, and the Corporal was rescued, but Johnson was himself overcome. Driver Horn at once put on his respirator and lowered himself to the rescue, but was likewise overcome. Sergeant Brooks then volunteered to attempt to rescue both men, but was also overcome by the gas; fortunately he was hauled out. At this stage Brigadier-General Burt refused to permit anyone else to descend, but did so himself, and succeeded in dragging one of the unconscious men some way towards the rope; he, however, became unconscious and had to be pulled out. There can be no doubt that all knew the risk that they were running and willingly incurred it in the hope of saving life.
BURIAL LOCATION: CROUY BRITISH CEMETERY, FRANCE.
PLOT III, ROW C, GRAVE 25.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
