Captain Alfred Douglas Dale SPAFFORD
B Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)

Date of birth: 30th November 1885
Date of death: 13th November 1916

Killed in action aged 30
Buried at Serre Road Cemetery No 1 Plot I Row A Grave 14
He was born at Darlington Training College, Darlington, County Durham on the 30th of November 1885 the younger son of William Alfred Spafford, Principal of Darlington Training College, and Fanny (nee Smallbones) of “Glendair”, 63 Cardigan Road in Leeds. He was christened on the 8th of January 1886.

He was educated at Aysgarth School in Yorkshire and at the King’s School Canterbury from January 1900 to July 1904 where he was granted a junior scholarship in December 1901. He was a keen sportsman, a member of the fives pair from 1901 to 1904 and was a member of the Officer Training Corps. In 1904 he went to University College Oxford obtaining a 4th Class Jurisprudence in 1908, a BA and diploma in economics (with distinction) in 1909.

In 1912 he became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants following which he became Assistant Auditor to the Local Government Board, South Western Counties District in 1913. He lived at "Bloomfield", Woodlands Road, Darlington.

He enlisted at 10 Stone Buildings, Lincolns Inn as Private 2507 in the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps on the 31st of December 1914. At a medical examination, which was held on the same day, it was recorded that he was five feet eight three quarter inches tall. He was posted for training to Berkhamsted where he was billeted at "Glanmor", Doctors Common Road, Berkhamsted. He applied for a commission in the Special Reserve of Officers for the 3rd Battalion Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) on the 22nd of March 1915 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on probation in the battalion on the 3rd of April 1915.

He was posted to the 2nd Battalion and embarked for France on the 18th of November 1915 and joined them in the field at Steenvoorde in Belgium. He was confirmed in his rank on the 20th of December 1915. He was taken ill with appendicitis at St Eloi on the 21st of January 1916 and was evacuated to hospital.

His brother received the following telegram dated the 2nd of February 1916: -

"2/Lt A.D.D. Spafford 2 Royal Scots. Reported 14 General Hospital Boulogne appendicitis severe. Further news wired when received."

He was evacuated to England from Boulogne on the 22nd of January on board the Hospital Ship "St Patrick" and landed at Southampton the following day. A Medical Board sat at Caxton Hall in London to report on his case: -

"On Jan 21st 1916 while at St Eloi he ad appendicitis pain-the appendix was removed next day. The convalescence normal. Transferred home Feb 23/16. He is now better, requires rest."

As his strength returned he was posted to the 3rd Battalion of his regiment based at Glencorse Bridge, Milton, Midlothian for light duties on the 23rd of May 1916.

A Medical Board which sat at the 2nd Scottish General Hospital on the 22nd of July 1916 reported: - "He is now completely recovered and fit for general service."

He was promoted to Acting Captain on the 24th of August 1916 and rejoined his battalion in the field at Proville on the Somme on the 25th of August 1916 along with five other officers.

On the 13th of November 1916 A and B Companies of his battalion were detailed to lead an attack on the village of Serre, a village which was due to have been captured on the 1st of July. The men were in position by 5am but the morning was thick with fog and the wire in front of the German trenches had not been cut by the preliminary barrage. As soon as the assaulting troops emerged from their trenches they came under heavy fire from the German defenders. B Company under Alfred Spafford carried both the German front line and the second line but was soon cut off and was viciously counter attacked from their flanks. Being unsupported, they were forced into a costly withdrawal. Casualties were heavy with two officers being killed and ten wounded as well as nineteen other ranks being killed, ninety two missing and one hundred and fifty one wounded.

His brother received the following telegram dated the 20th of November 1916: -

"Deeply regret to inform you Capt. A.D.D. Spafford 2 Royal Scots was killed in action Nov 13. The Army Council express their sympathy."

The Battalion Chaplain wrote to his mother in a letter dated the 27th of November 1916: -

"Dear Mrs. Spafford, After the morning of the 13th inst, then your son was reported missing I was charged to 11th Division for a time and the work there was so strenuous that I really had to leave off all correspondence even to my own people until my return here yesterday morning. Capt. Spafford was a great personal friend of mine since he came out here in August & in common with everyone in the 2nd Royal Scots who enjoyed his intimate friendship I sorely miss him from amongst us. Many times for the past few months we walked or rode together to the nearest town to do a little shopping and those journeys with him were always a pleasure to me. I deeply sympathise with you and your family in the great blow his loss must be to you all. At first some of the men said he was wounded, but some others, & I think truly, say he was killed, they were beside him at the time. A violent counter attack delivered by the enemy just as he was hit precluded all possibility of recovering his body, the stretcher bearers could not get near the place when they came along; that night a search party went out but they could not find the body anywhere about, it is a pity that such is the case but in a war like this the enemy has no sympathy for our wounded or respect for our dead. We lost many of our best officers and men on that morning but amongst them all your son shines forth as one who did his duty best when all did well in defence of a noble cause. I remain, yours sincerely Rev. Eugene Daly, C.F, R.C.
PS I have the small sum of two francs belonging to him which I shall send you as soon as I get paper money. Small paper money is difficult to secure here."

His Colonel wrote:-

“I have known him for eighteen months. He was far and away the most popular and best officer I had, and was one of the finest men I have ever met."

He is commemorated at the War Memorial Hospital in Darlington.
 

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