Alfred Henry Bryan
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Alfred Henry, known as Henry, was born in 1892 at Barton in Fabis and was the son of Henry and Ellen Bryan (née Bower). His father Henry was born in 1864 at Loddington, Leicestershire, and his mother Ellen Bower was born in Wingerworth, Derbyshire. They were married on 25th December 1888 at Wingerworth and had the following children: Ethel May b. 1890 and Alfred Henry b. 1892 who were born in Barton in Fabis, Helen b. 1894 Stoke Bardolph and George Flavell b. 1897 and Ernest Arthur b. 1909 who were born in Burton Joyce. In the 1901 census the family was living at Padleys Lane, Burton Joyce. By the 1911 census the family was living at Grove Cottage, Burton Joyce, and shown as Henry 47 yrs, a domestic gardener, his wife Ellen 44 yrs and their children, Alfred Henry 18 yrs an assistant gardener, Helen a box maker, George Favell 14 yrs a farm worker and Ernest Arthur 2 yrs.
1st battalion, South Notts Hussars Private Albert Henry Bryan served as Henry Bryan and enlisted at Burton Joyce. Following service in Gallipoli, Salonika and Egypt he was on board the troop ship 'Leasowe Castle' enroute to France when the ship was sunk by a torpedo fired by a German submarine. Henry was one of the many casualties. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Chatby Memorial, Egypt.
The loss of the Leasowe Castle This account is from a local resident posted on the Woodborough village website. The Hussars had been fighting in the Middle East and they were returning to France where they were to be re-formed as a machine gun company. Their new title was to be the South Notts Machine Gun Battalion. They were sent to Alexandria, Egypt and had received orders to embark on a transporter ship called the "Leasowe Castle" on 23th May 1918 ¹. On 27th May, the ship was struck by a torpedo with devastating results. A very detailed account of the fateful journey may be read in the historical records of the South Notts Hussars Yeomanry by G. Fellows. The "Leasowe Castle" was one of a convoy of six transporters and they were accompanied by a number of destroyers. The weather was good, the sea was calm and a brilliant moon shone in the night sky. At 1.30 am on May 27th 1918 when the ship was about 104 miles from Alexandria, the "Leasowe Castle" was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side. The engines were immediately stopped. The troops mustered to their stations, rolls were called, boats lowered and rafts flung overboard. The Japanese destroyer "R" stood by, while the remainder of the convoy continued on their journey at full speed. We are informed that perfect order was maintained on board, the men standing quietly at their stations as if on parade, while those detailed for the work assisted in lowering the boats. Lifeboats were launched in the course of forty five minutes and the rescue attempt continued smoothly. The "Leasowe Castle" remained fairly steady, though sinking a little at the stern, with a slight list to port. All of 'B' (Warwickshire Yeomanry) Company of the Battalion went over the port side and were picked up in the water. About 1.45am. HM sloop "Lily" appeared having turned back from the convoy to assist in the work of rescue. She ran her bows up to the starboard side of the "Leasowe Castle" and made fast, so that troops were able to pass quickly on board. Meanwhile the Japanese destroyer put up a smoke screen for protection. Suddenly about 3.00am a bulkhead in the aft part of the ship gave way, and with a loud noise the "Leasowe Castle" sank rapidly. The "Lily" had a narrow escape, as the hawsers connecting her with the sinking ship were cut with an axe just in timeChatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt Burton Joyce Methodist Church WMA 26973 – St Helen’s Parishioners WW1 WMA 26970 – Burton Joyce and Bulcote. Name listed in booklet, Burton Joyce and Bulcote WW1 records, held in Burton Joyce Centre for Local History.
