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Display court mounted WW1 British medal trio to S E Alford, who served with the 6th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry in France during the First World War.
*1915 Star named is named to: 11996 PTE. S. E. ALFORD. SOM. L. I.
*British War Medal and Victory Medal named in impressed capitals: 11996 PTE. S. E. ALFORD. SOM. L. I.

Private Alford served in France with the 6th (Service) Battalion,
Somerset Light Infantry in France from 22nd May 1915. He is then shown to have transferred to the Royal Engineers, having a new regimental number 153339, which would have seen him transfer into one of the Railway, Field or Special Gas Companies. He is shown to have transferred to the Reserve 'Z' class on the 1st April 1919.

The 6th (Service) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, was raised at Taunton in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's Army and was attached to 43rd Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. They proceeded to France in May 1915 and served on the Western Front throughout the war. They took part in The Action of Hooge, in which the Division became the first to be attacked by flamethrowers, and The Second Attack on Bellewaarde. In 1916 they fought at Delville Wood and Flers-Courcelette in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 They were involved in The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, the Arras Offensive and the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 they suffered heavily in The Battle of St Quentin and The Battle of the Avre, due to the heavy casualties the Division was withdrawn to the rear and on the 14th of April 1918 the 6th Somerset Light Infantry formed a composite unit with the 5th Battalion, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry, the unit was reduced to cadre strength two weeks later. On the 18th of June they transferred to the 16th Division and returned to England. On the 20th June the 6th Somerset Light Infantry was reconstituted and absorbed 13th Bn, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, they returned to France on the 1st of August 1918, landing at Boulogne, as part of 49th Brigade 16th (Irish) Division and joined Second Army. They were in action in the Final Advance in Flanders. - See more at: http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/somersetlightinfantry6.php#sthash.stexqtfT.dpuf