Alan was born in Walkington in 1895 and the 1911 census shows him living with his family at Towers farm (this is now Northlands farm). His father Frank, is listed as the farmer with his mother Hannah and five Mathison children; also on the farm were his grandmother, Margaret and a nurse, Jane Carter. By the time Alan signed up he was residing in Hessle: he was to die on 16 September, 1916 during the Battle of the Somme: probably at the Battle of Flers- Courcelette. The 1st battalion of the East Yorkshire regiment was part of the regular army and a war diary from July, 1916 which has been transcribed from the original war diary of the battalion is held at the National Archives (document WO95/2161). It describes the battalion moving up to the assembly trenches during the Battle of Fleurs-Courlette. “The battalion getting into position at 3.30, a heavy and continuous shelling was maintained throughout the night, which by 6.30 became less intense and continued until 7.30am when the artillery barrage lifted off the German front line and the infantry moved forward to the assault. The 1st East Yorkshire battalion in supporting the 15th Durham Light Infantry and the 9th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry advanced some 3,000 yards. They suffered considerably from machine gun fire and shrapnel, passing the 41 Division forward positions. A few troops got within 100 yards but the attack could not be pushed home.” Alan is buried in the Guards Cemetery, Les Boeufs, Albert, France.
HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON THE HESSLE ROLL OF HONOUR, ALL SAINTS PARISH CHURCH.
