Alan David Bayfield

A Second Lieutenant, Alan died on the 15th of February 1942 aged 27. 

Alan was born at Lowestoft on 27 March 1914, a son of Alfred and Ada Bayfield. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 14 May 1914 and his family lived at the Anchor Hotel, High Street, where is father was the publican. In 1921 their home was at 159 High Street. By 1939 Alan’s parents were living at 5 The Esplanade.

Alan is listed twice in the 1939 Register. He is shown living with his brother John and family, 263 Selly Oak Road, Birmingham, and working as a confectioner at the Cadbury Chocolate Factory, Bournville. This entry is crossed out and a second entry shows him residing at 21 Clarence Place, Leeds, and working as a relief representative. 

On 6 November 1939 Alan enlisted in the Royal Engineers, service number 1887379. On 14 March 1941 he joined 166 Officer Cadet Training Unit, at the Isle of Man, and, on 20 June 1941 he was discharged from the Royal Engineers to take up a commission with the Suffolk Regiment.   

In 1940 Alan married Iris Kate Hull, this was registered in the Midhurst district. By 1946 Iris was living at Wood Home, Wakes Colne, Essex, and later she lived at Tadley Green Hampshire.  

In early 1940 the 5th Battalion Suffolk Regiment was based in the North Walsham, the Battalion then moved to Fulborn, Cambridgeshire; Hawick, Scotland; Liverpool; Anglesey; and then Leominster. On 27 October 1941 the Battalion embarked on the S.S. Reina del Pacifico at Liverpool and sailing for Halifax, Nov Scotia. The Battalion changed ship, to the American liner Wakefield, and sailed for Trinidad and then Cape Town, arriving on 9 December 1941. The Battalion was given three days shore leave.

The Battalion was part of 54 Brigade in the 18th (East Anglian) Division. 

With the Japanese entry into the war the Battalion was now allocated to the Far East and sailed for India, arriving on 27 December 1941. The Battalion had three weeks of training before embarking at Bombay and sailing for Singapore, arriving on 29 January 1942. 

On arrival at Singapore the Battalion deployed to the rubber plantation and then moved to Ponggol Point at the north-east of the island. On 15 February 1942 they were holding positions at Bukit Timah Road near to Raffles College. Alan was killed in action at Bukit Timah on 15 February and, the next day, he was buried behind Raffles College, at map reference 812125. In 1946 he was re-buried at Kranji Military Cemetery.