Photo: James Pasby
Medal Index Card
Newcastle Journal Friday 10th August 1917
The headstone reads:
Sacred
to the memory
of
Lieut. Colonel
Alfred Graham Cartwright
A.P.W.O. Yorkshire Regt.
who served in France 1915
and died at Benton August 5th 1917
aged 59 years
Alfred Graham Cartwright was born on the 29th July 1858, baptised 19th October 1858, the youngest boy of 9 children of Samuel Cartwright, F R C S., a Surgeon and his wife Susannah Cartwright at 32 Old Burlington Street, St James, Westminster London.
Alfred was first commissioned on the 1st January 1879 as a 2nd Lieutenant from the 19th Foot Regiment, [The Green Howards], then Lieutenant from the 11th February 1880 in the Yorkshire Regiment then a Captain from the 1st September 1886 finally reaching the rank of Major on the 16th December 1896, before retiring on the 29th July 1906.
The regiment saw action at the Battle of Alma in September 1854 and at the Siege of Sevastopol in winter 1854 during the Crimean War and then saw action again during the Indian Rebellion. In 1875, Princess Alexandra, Princess of Wales presented new colours to the 1st Battalion at Sheffield, and consented to the regiment bearing her name, thus becoming the 19th (1st Yorkshire North Riding – Princess of Wales's Own) Regiment of Foot. The regiment adopted a cap badge consisting of the Princess's cypher "A" combined with the Dannebrog or Danish cross and topped by her coronet. The Princess became Queen Alexandra in 1901, and was the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief from 1914 until her death in 1925.
The 2nd battalion was in Ireland from 1881 to 1886, when it returned to garrison back home in England. From early 1890 the battalion was stationed in British India, where it took part in military campaigns on the North-West Frontier. The battalion had various postings, including at Sitapur and Benares until late 1902 when it was posted to Cawnpore.
Alfred married Julie Plumer in India on the 22nd December 1891 at Bangalore, Madras, India.
He re-enlisted in to the 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regimen in WW1, and was sent to France in July 1915, until November 1915. [The 7th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 50th Brigade in the 17th (Northern) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front]. Then transferred on the 20th April 1916 to the 14th Reserve Battalion till the 31st August 1916. Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Grahame Cartwright was then transferred to another active battalion.
Alfred Graham was residing at 4 West Avenue, Benton when he died on the 5th August 1917.
He left effects of £4481 2s 3d. to his widow.
