Alfred Ablett VC DCM

Alfred Ablett was born on 3 August 1830 at Weybread, Suffolk, to Samuel and Elizabeth Ablett (nee Crockford). His father was a fireman and brickmaker. He was baptised just over a month later on 3 September. According to the 1841 census, he had four older brothers, one younger brother and two younger sisters.Ablett joined the army on 20 February 1850 at the age of 19 years and five months, being assigned to the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. He would go on to serve in the Crimean War, seeing action at the Battle of Alma, Battle of Inkerman and the Battle of Balaclava, earning service bars for each. But it was at the rank of private in early September 1855 when he performed the deed which would earn him a Victoria Cross for bravery while in the trenches at the siege of Sebastopol.

A working company of Grenadiers were moving explosives into a forward trench when an alert sentry spotted a high trajectory shell heading straight for the Grenadier’s trench, now packed full with gun powder barrels. The sentry just had time to let out a desperate warning cry when the shell fell, with its fuse burning. There was panic in the trench as everyone seeking their own survival dived for cover, yet in a split second, Ablett acted, He rushed towards the hot and smoking shell and succeeded in lifting it but it was red hot from the friction of the barrel so burning Alfred’s hands, it slipped between his legs. He quickly turned and with superhuman strength picked up the heavy burning object again and managed to throw it outside the trench. It exploded and Ablett was thrown to the ground and covered with earth.

Sergeant Baker who was in charge of the working party, ran forward but surprisingly, Alfred Ablett arose from the debris like a phoenix. Was he hurt? “No; but I have had a good shaking“ was his reply. Private Ablett had saved the British trenches from disaster and the lives of all his comrades too, His Commanding Officer promoted him to Corporal and gave him his own personal silk neck tie which Her Majesty, Queen Victoria had given to him. Ablett was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal [DCM] for his general conduct in the campaign, later when the Queen’s special award was introduced, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding bravery in the trenches, After the war back in England, he was promoted to Sergeant and it was soon after that, he signed on to complete an army career of 21 years.

Ablett was invalided out of Army in October 1862 suffering from rheumatism, the result of frostbite and fever contracted in Crimea. In 1868, he was accused of attempting to kill himself with a rifle, but was found not guilty by a jury at a court in Norwich. From 1871 he served for 26 years in the London Dock Police, leaving as an inspector. He died at his home on East India Road, Poplar, London on 12 March 1897 and was buried in St Andrew’s Churchyard, Weybread.

His Victoria Cross was sold for £62 in 1903, and is now held by the Grenadier Guards Regimental Headquarters, Wellington Barracks, London. His family is in possession of a replica.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: GRENADIER GUARDS RHQ, WELLINGTON BARRACKS, LONDON.

BURIAL LOCATION: ST ANDREW’S CHURCHYARD, WEYBREAD, SUFFOLK.

UNMARKED GRAVE – FAMILY PLOT WEST OF CHURCH.