Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Alexander Brankston, known as Alex, was born in the district of Lanchester, December 25th 1897, one of 13 children of whom only 11 survived he was the youngest of all his siblings, 7 brothers and 3 sisters. His father George Brankston originated from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland where he was born June 6th 1851 and married in the parish of Lanchester in 1877 to Mary Armstrong born 1855 at Kyo, Annfield Plain, County Durham. Newly married they settled at Burnhope where George was employed as a coal miner and by 1891 had moved to 12, Cross Row, Lanchester, their eldest son Richard (16) had joined his father at the colliery whilst Isabella (10), Joseph (9), George (7) and Ann (6) were scholars, Hannah (3) and James (1) remained at home with their mother. When Alexander was 3 years of age they were living at 1, Fell Row, in 1911 only Henderson (15) working as a driver below ground at the colliery, William as a lamp man above ground and Alex, a student were still living with their parents as well as sister Margaret (19) at 8, Asylum Row, their father (59) was still working as a miner. George Brankston was later injured at work and lost an arm.
On the outbreak of war Alexander presented himself at Consett, September 7th 1914, in order to enlist he told an untruth as regards his age declaring he was 19 years 11 months old in order to ensure he would be accepted, he was in fact only 16 years of age. He was assigned as Private 22431 to the Durham Light Infantry joining his regiment at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland the following day, later that month the new recruits left Newcastle station for Buckinghamshire. At Aylesbury they were formed into the 14th and 15th (Service) Battalions. December 7th 1914 he was transferred to the 15th Battalion and moved to Halton Park where both were trained as part of the 64th Brigade, 21st Division. Training had been slow and consisted of little more than basic drill until that point, bad weather, no uniforms, dummy rifles and too few experienced officers hampered progress but with the arrival of khaki uniforms and equipment they made final preparations for overseas service. February 23rd 1915 he was transferred to the 13th Battalion at Bramshott, Hampshire departing with them August 28th 1915 as part of the British Expeditionary Force attached to the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division for France. Within days the battalion was sent into the trenches but spared the disastrous Battle of Loos and spent the rest of 1915 and early 1916 in and out of the trenches at Armentieres and Souchez.
As he was under-age Private Brankston’s mother wrote a letter to the Record Office, York, dated August 4th 1916 in a desperate effort to bring her son home, it reads as follows including grammatical errors, “ Please Sirs I am writing to ask you if you can get me my son Alexander out of France as he is only 18 years of age and I have no body working at home I have other three sons in France one has being wounded and I would like my younger boy at home I have no sons at home now please oblige Mrs Geo. Brankston Oyster Shell Cottage Lanchester this is my sons address Pte Alexander Brankston 13 Durham Light Infantry C Company British Expeditionary Force France.” In response she received a letter requesting a copy of his birth certificate to be forwarded to them with their original letter. In the interim the very day his mother wrote her letter Private Brankston was taken by the 70th Field Ambulance to the 23rd Dressing Station for treatment and discharged 5 days later. His military record makes mention of the request he be sent home as being under age but it would seem nothing was done and his mother wrote another letter dated September 12th 1916 which reads, “Dear Sirs, Could you do anything towards having my youngest son Alexander sent home from France. I may say that he is of four sons we have out fighting for King & Country and as my husband is a cripple…illegible…one arm we are finding it very hard to live with all our support gone. I may also state that Alex is not 19 years of age until December 25th 1916. Hoping you will do what you can for us seeing that all of our 4 sons are out in France Thanking you in anticipation I remain Sir your humble servant. Mrs Geo. Brankston.” Her plea that he be sent home was denied September 19th 1916, she was informed he would be withdrawn from the firing line until he turned 19 and that his training would continue but, “cannot be sent home.” He joined the 6th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) November 12th 1916 at Etaples until he was sent into the field January 6th 1917.
Private Brankston re-joined the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry which had moved from the battlefields of the Somme to the Ypres salient in Belgium. July 7th after a successful attack in June on Messines Ridge they were in the trenches at Klein Zillebeke and again in action in September 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, in the fighting on the Menin Road and by October sent with the combined British and French troops to Italy. They confronted the Austrian and German forces on the Piave River and Asiago Plateau but were withdrawn before the final Allied advance across the Piave and returned to the Western Front.
Whilst serving in Italy Private Brankston was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. He was awarded 25 days leave to return home from, August 25th 1918 until September 19th 1918, upon his return he re-joined his regiment now on the Western Front engaged in the fierce fighting during the Allied Advance to Victory which culminated with the Armistice, November 11th 1918.
Lance Corporal 22431 Alexander Brankston Durham Light Infantry was killed in action October 11th 1918 his body buried on the battlefield by his comrades and marked with his military details. After the Armistice and the clearing of the battlefields a letter was sent to his father by the Record Office, York dated October 4th 1920, stating, 'Sir, I beg to inform you that, owing to the agreement with the French and Belgium Governments to remove all scattered graves for concentration in proper cemeteries, it has been found necessary to exhume the body of the late No.22431 L/Cpl Alexander BRANKSTON, 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, for reburial at QUIETISTE BRITISH CEMETERY, 2 miles SOUTH WEST of LE CATEAU. I am to say that the necessity for the removal is much regretted, but was found unavoidable for the reasons above stated. I am to assure you that the work of re-burial has been carried out with every measure of care and reverence, and that special arrangements were made for the appropriate religious service to be held. I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, i/c for Colonel Infantry Records.' Private Brankston is at rest grave B.7., at the time of his demise he was 22 years of age. Recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to his home at Oyster Shell Cottage, Lanchester, County Durham.
Two of Alexander’s brothers James and Henderson, also served and perished during WW1. Private James Brankston died October 1st 1915 aged 26 years and Private Henderson Brankston October 18th 1917 aged 22 years. John William Brankston survived the conflict and died in 1947 at Lanchester.
George Brankston died in 1932 aged 80 years, Mary Brankston nee Armstrong aged 79 years in 1937, both registered in the district of Lanchester, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Alexander Brankston is remembered at Malton on M49.01 at Lanchester on L62.01 L62.02 and L62.04
He is also remembered at Durham in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 281.
