ALGER, Robert – The Invicta Medal Museum

92626 Air Mechanic 2nd Class Robert Alger

Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force

British War Medal and Victory Medal

Also entitled to the Defence Medal (for police service during WWII)

FAMILY

Robert was born in Mile End, East London, in 1888. His Father, who was born in Bedfordshire, and also called Robert, was a Sergeant in the Metropolitan Police.

On the 1901 census, 13 year old Robert is living with his sister Lydia (14), who is a musical student, along with his mother, Lydia (43) and Father, Robert (42).

By 1908, Robert was listed as “Cycle Agent” in a commercial directory in a shop at 94 Markhouse Road, Walthamstow, Essex (shown as it looks today, below).

On the 1911 Census, Robert (Senior) is not shown, so could have been living eleswhere. The Census records were taken on 2nd April, so he could even have stayed at the Police Station on that particular night. Lydia is shown as “Married” not “Widowed,” so it is unlikely he had died. Robert (23) is this time listed as a Cycle Maker, with his Sister now employed as a music teacher, both living with their Mother (53) above the shop at 94 Markhouse Road.

Some time after this, 29 year old Robert Alger married Secret Louisa Haley on 26th April 1917, a few months before enlistment.

War service in brief

On 16th August 1917 he was enrolled as a fitter and given the rank of 2nd Class Air Mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps. He was posted to France on 4th January 1918, then was transferred automatically into the newly formed Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918. He did not return to England until 10th September 1919. He was transferred to the RAF reserve on 8th October 1919, before finally being discharged on 30th April 1920.

By 1921, Robert (33) and Secret (27) were living together in Leyton, East London. Robert had followed in his father’s footsteps and was now a Metropolitan Police Constable based at the local station on Frances Road. A search on the Metropolitan Police archives shows he joined 9th February 1920 with collar number 109046. The station was demolished in 1939, replaced by a large art deco structure, but the original station is shown below, and again during its demolition.

The 1939 Register shows Robert and Secret living at 16 Wiseman Road, Leyton (shown as it looks today, below). Robert is still a Police Constable. Records how he finally left “The Met” on 22nd May 1944, having been last posted to “J Division” as a Police Sergeant.

The couple never had children, and Robert Alger died at the end of 1953. His Wife, Secret, continued to live alone until her death in 1974. Acording to the probate register, she left behind £743.