Captain, 11th Battalion Border Regiment.
Killed in action 1st July 1916, age approx. 43.
Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Former student and lecturer of architecture.
Alfred was born at Broughton near Salford, Lancashire in 1873, the younger son of Manchester architect Joseph Corbett and Emmeline Corbett. He studied architecture at Manchester Technical College and on graduating joined Woodhouse, Corbett and Dean Architects with offices at 100 King Street, Manchester. He rose to become a partner and worked on major projects in Manchester and London. His most famous building was the grand YMCA building on Peter Street, Manchester (now St. Georges House), which was the first building in Manchester to use reinforced concrete in its design. His designs were exhibited a number of times at the Royal Academy and he eventually returned to Manchester Technical College as a lecturer on architecture and building. By 1911 he was living at Highleigh, Whaley Bridge, Cheshire.
Alfred had served in the volunteers, the forerunner of the Territorial Army, and on the outbreak of the war aged 41 he joined one of the newly forming Pals Battalions, the 16th (Public Schools) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment as a Private. In early 1915 he was commissioned into another Pals unit, the 11th (Lonsdale) Battalion Border Regiment. He went to France with the battalion in November 1915, and after a course at Royal Staff College, Camberley he returned to his unit and was promoted to Captain in command of “D” Company. On 1st July 1916 he led his company into the attack on the Somme and was killed in action.