b. 1880 Holborn, London. d. 21/07/1967 Islington, London.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 11/12/1915 St Omer, France.
Alfred was born in May 1880 in Holborn, London, and was baptised on 30th May 1880 at St Paul’s, Clerkenwell. His parents were Jeremiah and Eliza Tehan (sometimes spelt Teahan). He enlisted with the 12th Lancers, and served in the Boer War, earning the Queen’s South Africa Medal with three clasps. He also served in World War I, rising to the rank of Sergeant. He was presented with his AM and MM by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 9th November 1918. He lived for the majority of his post-war life in Finsbury, where he married Lily Gagan in July 1939. He died on 21st July 1967 and was cremated at Islington Crematorium, and his ashes were scattered.
AM CITATION:
On the llth December, 1915, whilst at bomb practice, one of the bomb-throwers detonated the cap of his bomb, thus lighting the fuse,’ preparatory to throwing it. The fuse was damp, and as he thought it had gone out he placed this bomb on the ground and went on bomb-throwing. Tehan, who was also in the trench, suddenly heard a fizzing noise, and saw that the fuse of the bomb was burning. With great coolness and presence of mind he darted forward and seized the bomb, of which the fuse was already half burnt through, and threw, it out of the trench, thereby probably saving the lives of himself and four other men in the traverse with him. The bomb burst just before reaching the ground.
BURIAL LOCATION: ISLINGTON CREMATORIUM, ISLINGTON, LONDON.
ASHES SCATTERED.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
