2nd Lieutenant Alfred Mortenson 4716, 104216

There is only one Alfred Mortenson in the CWGC database, although there is no other information about his place of birth the WW1 medal roll index cards show only one Alfred Mortenson and he was in the Liverpool Regiment. The medal card also gives the address of his mother and she lived very close to the church  so I am confident that this is the right man and I have identified the correct census records for his family.

Alfred Mortenson was born on June 28 1895 and baptised on 31st March the same year in St James Church, Toxteth. The image below is the record of his baptism which shows that his parents were Christian and Mary Ann Mortenson of 45 Upper Hill Street which is in the area of St James' Church. Christian Mortenson was a Dock Gate man.

The 1901 census shows the Mortenson family living at 45 Canning Pierhead.

This image (dated 1919 and out of copyright) is of the Pilotage Office at Canning Pierhead. Source: Port Cities Mersey Gateway Partnership Website (no longer available) Canning Dock is adjacent to the Albert Dock and this beautiful red-brick building stands next to the Modern Museum of Liverpool. The piers around it presumably would have held small houses for employees of the dock as the Mortensons' neighbours in 1901 were also dock gatemen and the dock master (and a publican!)

The image below (Source: Liverpool Museums) shows a modern aerial view of the Canning Graving Docks where you can see the Pilotage Office (pointed white roofs) and the small round building to the left of it.

If you are interested in seeing more images of the docks there is a website that collects postcards and images of the docks (click here, opens in a new window, not my content!)

The 1901 census spells the surname Mortensen and shows the family were living at 45 Canning Pierhead, Liverpool. Head of the household was Christian Mortensen aged 47, born in Sweden and husband to Mary Mortensen who was 47 and born in Liverpool. Their children were Christian aged 11, James aged 8, Alfred aged 6, and daughter Johannah aged 15 who worked as a dressmaker.

At the time of the 1911 census the family were living at 42 Canning Pierhead, Christian was still a Dock Gateman. The census shows that he and Mary had been married for 29 years and of their 6 children, 4 were still living. Two of those children were at home with them for the census; Alfred, aged 16, was working as an office boy for a shipping company and James Harold aged 18 was a shop assistant for a wholesale chemist.

The census shows that their house was not large, with 4 rooms (plus any bathroom) but this was more than adequate by the standards of the time for the 4 people who lived there.

Military Experience

Alfred's military service papers have not survived but we can find quite a few details from the annotations on his medal index card.

The Medal Roll Index Card for Alfred Mortenson shows that he was a Private in the Liverpool Regiment with the regimental number 4716 then a Private in the Machine Gun Corps with the regimental number 104216, commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the MGC.

The main body of the card has the medal roll references for his Victory Medal and British War Medal, with references for both the Rank and File roll and the Officers roll. The rolls themselves record that he was discharged from the KLR to a commission in the MGC and his medals were issued from the Officers Roll. This means that his medals would have shown his rank of 2nd Lieutenant and no regimental number (Officers didn't have them) It also shows that the theatre of war first served in was France on 1st February 1917.

The card also gives the dates that he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant as 27th November 1917 and deceased on 15th April 1918.

The reverse of his Medal Index Card gives the address for correspondence with his mother as 42 Rundle Road, Aigburth, Liverpool.

(click here to go to a website which explains the ranks of the British Army - I have found it very useful)

Alfred's father Christian died about 8 months after his son and was buried in St James Cemetery on 10th December 1918. His widow Mary would have had to leave the Pierhead housing.

The record of soldiers' effects show that 2/Lt A Mortenson of the 59th MGC was killed in action on 15th April 1918. This record indicates the money owed to the soldier and who it was given to. There is a credit on Alfred's account from "Holt & Co" which I first thought might be the Liverpool shipping company but it is actually a banking company (part of the current day Natwest Group) who administered officers pay during the First World War. The record indicates that Alfred's money went to his mother, Mrs Mary Ann Mortenson. A 1919 address is recorded for her of 41 Geraint Street, off Windsor St, Liverpool.

The 1921 census shows that Mary was at this address staying with her son James Harold and his family.

Second Lieutenant Alfred Mortenson is buried in Bailleul Cemetery, France.

click here to open the CWGC database entry for Alfred Mortenson (new window)