Alick was born to parents George, a gamekeeper and Agnes in Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, on 24th August 1892 and baptised in the same parish on 9th October. His name was spelt in various ways in life and on church memorials (Alex, Allick, Alec) but his baptism record stated Alick.
He was recorded on the 1901 census aged eight, the third of six children. The family had moved to Morston, on the north Norfolk coast by this date - his father George still worked as a gamekeeper and his mother worked in the local public house.
Alick joined the Navy on 17th April 1909 and began his training rated as a Boy 2nd Class. He was posted to HMS GANGES on the Suffolk coast and remained there until 14th January 1910, rising to Boy 1st Class on 9th December 1909. For unknown reasons Alick’s navy records stated his date of birth as 24th June 1893 - he was 5’3” tall with dark hair and grey eyes. The remainder of his service follows:
HMS BERWICK - 15/01/1910 - 26/04/1910
HMS PEMBROKE I - 27/04/1910 - 12/06/1910
HMS INFLEXIBLE - 13/06/1910 - 04/11/1912, rising to Ordinary Seaman on 24/06/1911 and Able Seaman on 30/09/1912. He was recorded on the 1911 census onboard the First Class Armoured Cruiser, off Howth Head, Dublin.
HMS PEMBROKE I - 05/11/1912 - 22/01/1913
HMS HECLA - 23/01/1913 - 24/11/1913
HMS FORWARD - 25/11/1913 - 31/12/1913
HMS DIDO - 01/01/1914 - 26/06/1914
HMS PEMBROKE I - 27/06/1914 - 30/07/1914
HMS SENTINEL - 31/07/1914 - 21/10/1914
HMS PEMBROKE I - 22/10/1914 - 20/03/1915
HMS VANGUARD - 21/03/1915 - 09/07/1917, rising to Leading Seaman on 01/11/1916, serving aboard the battleship during the Battle of Jutland.
His pension was claimed by his mother along with his Star, Victory and British war medals. He is remembered on the memorial at Church of All Saints, Morston in Norfolk as well as the Chatham Naval Memorial.
(#92 ~ 335/843)
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Norfolk, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915 Northamptonshire Record Office; Northampton, England
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 655
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: Piece 008; Piece Description: Piece 008 (1914 - 1919)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/8; Scan Number: 0632
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 081/0377/GRA-GRA
Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 081/0377/GRA-GRA Class: ADM 171; Piece: 103
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