Alfred Victor Clegg

Alfred was born in 1885 at Shore House in Littleborough, Rochdale. He was the son of Calder Hurst Clegg a local cotton mill owner. He went to Clifton Public School, and enrolled as a Chemistry student at Manchester University in 1904 gaining his BSc. (Hons) in 1910 and going on to win the Leblanc Medal for Chemistry. He excelled as a sportsman playing on the wing in Rugby Union for Clifton College and Manchester University. He was an outstanding distance runner winning the Miles-Marshall Challenge Cup for Athletics at University. In 1909 he joined his local Territorial Army Regiment, the 6^th (Rochdale) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers as a 2^nd Lieutenant. By 1914 he was a Company Director in the family cotton business running Shore Mills in Littleborough. He had by now risen to the rank of Captain with the 6^th Battalion and became a Company Commander.

Within days it was announced that Rochdale Battalion, as part of the 42^nd East Lancashire Division, was to have the honour of being the first Territorial Army unit to go on active service. Commanded by fellow mill owner Lord Rochdale the Battalion left in early September 1914 for Egypt. In May 1915 the Rochdale battalion landed at Gallipoli first seeing action on May 6^th at the 2^nd Battle of Krithia where they distinguished themselves in a wild bayonet charge at Achi Baba. Alfred survived Achi Baba though his Company suffered heavy casualties, including many of his own employees. Hhis luck ran out on 7^th August. On this day the 6^th Lancashire Fusiliers, much reduced by casualties, attacked the Turkish lines at the Battle of Krithia Vineyard. Alfred was one of its earliest casualties, hit while leading his company forward.

His brother Captain Frank Cecil Clegg was also serving in Gallipoli with the 6th Border Regiment and was himself killed just two weeks later on 22 Aug 1915.