Alfred Ablett
Private, 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards
- Register No.
- 3 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private (register: Sergeant) all Privates →
- Unit
- 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards all Grenadier Guards VCs →
- Date of action
- 2 September 1855 on this day → all of 1855 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 24th February 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 3rd August 1830 at Weybread, Suffolk
- Died
- 12th March 1897 at Weybread, Suffolk
- Memorial / grave
- at Weybread Churchyard, Suffolk
- Medal held by
- the Guards Regimental Head-Quarters
Digest of citation
On 2nd September 1855 during the siege of Sebastopol , in the Crimea, a burning shell fell into a trench containing two cases of ammunition. Private Ablett, realising the danger to which all in the trench were exposed, seized the shell in his hands and threw it over the parapet, where it immediately exploded on touching the ground, but not one man suffered any injuries
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
ABLETT, Alfred (Reg. No. 3)
Private* 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
London Gazetted on 24th February 1857 VC's Custodian is the Guards Regimental Head-Quarters.
Born on 3rd August 1830 at Weybread, Suffolk.
Died on 12th March 1897 at Weybread, Suffolk.
Memorial on grave at Weybread Churchyard, Suffolk.
.Digest of Citation reads: On 2nd September 1855 during the siege of Sebastopol , in the Crimea, a burning shell fell into a trench containing two cases of ammunition. Private Ablett, realising the danger to which all in the trench were exposed, seized the shell in his hands and threw it over the parapet, where it immediately exploded on touching the ground, but not one man suffered any injuries.
* Attained rank of Sergeant.
Additional Information:. This gallant deed took place before the VC was inaugurate in 1856. He also held the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) Sergeant Ablett became an Inspector of Police at Millwall Docks, London.
Additional information
This gallant deed took place before the VC was inaugurate in 1856. He also held the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) Sergeant Ablett became an Inspector of Police at Millwall Docks, London.
* Attained rank of Sergeant.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Weybread Churchyard, Suffolk
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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