Category: Military
Rank: Private
Regiment or Ship: General Service Corps
Date of Birth: 1899
Place of Birth: Sidley
Date of Death: 1975
Address: 59 Sidley Street, Sidley
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Father: James Carey born in Sidley and died 1934 in Battle.
Mother: Ann Elizabeth Barker born 1859 in Sidley and died 1939 in Battle. They married in 1879 in Hailsham.
Siblings:
George Frederick Carey 1882-1958 B0001 CAREY George Frederick (Gov. War Work)
Richard Thomas Carey 1883 – 1963 W0151 CAREY Richard Thomas (Driver)
Edna Grace Carey 1885 – 1962
Benjamin James Carey 1887 – 1918 W0076 CAREY Benjamin (Rifleman)
Frederick Carey 1891 – 1914 W0003 CAREY Frederick (Private)
Arthur Carey 1892 – 1947 W0152 CAREY Arthur (Driver)
Thomas Carey 1895 – 1974 W0150 CAREY Thomas (Private)
Harry Carey 1897 – 1975 W0146 CAREY Harry (Driver)
Elsie Carey 1900 – ?
First World War Experience
In 1917 the Bexhill Observer featured the Carey family in its occasional feature “Mothers of Empire” which reported on families who had sent more than four men to War. By 1917 eight of Annie Carey’s sons were involved with the war effort either serving or working for the Government. In this article it claims Alfred had been “called up and rejected”.
According to his military records he had attested but when he later attended his medical he was found unfit. No reason is given for why he was considered unfit. However on his brother Benjamin’s records under family details, Alfred is listed as a Private in August 1918 and living at an address in Southampton. Therefore he must have passed a medical at a later date so presumably his reason for being rejected ealier in the war was not a permanent condition, or as the war raged on perhaps the standards of what was considered “fit for service” changed.