Alfred enlisted on 20th January 1915 joining the 9th Battalion. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and later gained a commission into the 10th Battalion on 6th March 1919. 

Alfred was awarded the Military Medal on 23rd April  1917 for gallantry and devotion to duty where he did splendid work when the Battalion was prevented from occupying ‘Bayonet Trench’ situated in the Arras area of Northern France.