Alfred was born in November 1921 in Edmonton, Middlesex to Michael and Rosina nee Faulkner, the youngest of five children. Their father Michael died in 1930 at the age of forty three and in 1939 the family were living at 28 Cazenove Road, Hackney where Rosina was working as a machinist.

Alfred was known as an excellent scholar and attended Queen Mary’s College, Cambridge. He was also a part time member of the Civil Defence. Alfred was the first pilot to join 198 Squadron in December 1942 and was deputy A Flight Commander.

His mother received a letter from Alfred’s Squadron Leader who wrote, ‘We feel his loss very keenly for your son was one of the eldest members of the squadron and had a great regard for enthusiasm, reliability and bravery in the face of the enemy’.

Alfred was flying Typhoon JP509 on an escort to 3 Squadron over Cherbourg when his aircraft was hit by flak and crashed 8 miles off Ventnor on the Isle of Wight.