Alex William John Bridger

Alex Bridger joined the army in June 1916 as a private 41787, Middlesex Regiment but was subsequently transferred to the 21^st Lancers (23880) and finally (33210) Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He Served in France and died, aged 34 on 26^th October 1917. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium, Folkestone War Memorial and a J. Bridger is also commemorated on the Oddfellow Memorial (Pride of the Cliff Lodge), St.Michael's St, Folkestone.

Alex or John as he was sometimes called was born (June) 1882 in the Elham District to Susannah and John Bridger a hackney carriage proprietor. In 1891 they lived at 88 Sandgate Road but by 1901 they had moved to 9 Ingles Mews, Folkestone, where he is described as a fly driver and groom. Alex was the eldest of at least six children, Elenor, Alice, Thomas, Jessie and Charles being the others. He was educated at Christchurch School. In (March) 1907 Alex married Alice Annie Howe in the Tonbridge District and the 1911 census shows them living at 10 Ingles Mews, Christchurch Road, whilst his parents still lived at number 9.