B SHORT

South Wales Borderers, 1st Battalion
Service Number: 8421
Born: 1884, Bow, London
Killed in Action: 4 November 1914 | Age: 30
Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 22

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Alexander Charles Short was born in 1884 in Bow, East London, to Henry Alfred Short Sr. and Elizabeth Short. He grew up with two sisters, Beatrice and Florence, and two brothers, Henry Alfred Jr. and Christopher.

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In the 1891 Census, a six-year-old Alexander was recorded as a scholar, living with his parents and eldest brother Henry at Cowley Street, Saint George East, London. His father worked as a Lighterman Barge, and his brother as a Van Guard.

By 1901, Alexander’s life had changed significantly. His mother Elizabeth had died, and his father had remarried to Rachel Hipkins. The couple had moved to Gladstone Place, Gravesend, Kent, living without any of the children.

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By 1911, Alexander had settled in Birch Grove, Tirphil, South Wales, lodging with Mathew and Mary Davies and their young daughter. He worked as a colliery timberman, an occupation common in the industrial valleys. Just a few doors away lived Rosina Jones, aged 17, with her father Isaac Jones. Alexander and Rosina would later marry on 2 March 1914.

The couple had two sons:

• Henry Alfred “Harry” Short

• Alexander Charles “Jackie” Short​

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When war broke out later that year, Alexander enlisted at Bargoed—but under an alias. He signed up as Alexander Charles Barnard, serving with the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, as Private 8421.

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The reason for the alias was later recalled by his granddaughter, Kim Davies:

“My grandfather’s name appears on the memorial in Troedrhiwfuwch as Barnard Short. He sighed himself in the army as Alexander/Alfred Charles Barnard, but his name was Alexander Charles Short. The reason for this is as we understand it, he was born and brought up in East London, a cockney, after his mother died when he was young his father remarried and he couldn’t get along with his stepmother, so at the age of fourteen he ran away and joined the army after lying about his age. His father then traced him and was discharged as underage and taken back home. After a while he ran away again to South Wales to make it more difficult to be traced. He met my grandmother and married they had two sons Alexander Short & my father Henry Alfred Short. The war started and he enlisted but when waiting in the queue he noticed a grocery cart with the name Barnard's so as not to get found by his father he enlisted as Alexander Charles Barnard. This is the place where Short became Barnard, his name is on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres Belgium”.

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Private Alexander Charles Short—recorded as A.C. Barnard—was Killed in Action on 4 November 1914, during the fierce early fighting of the First World War. His body was never recovered, but he is commemorated with honour on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium, Panel 22.

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🕊️ “Their name liveth for evermore.”

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