Serjeant Alan Binning was the sixth of the seven children of James Stevenson Binning (1846-1919) and Emily Anne Binning née Hone (1850-1919). His birth was recorded in the 4th quarter of 1885 in the Greenwich registration district. The 1891 census shows him living at 47 Shooters Hill Road, Blackheath, with his parents, six siblings: James Binning (1872-1918), John Binning (1874-1952), Gertrude Binning (b.1875), Stevenson Binning (1881-1956), Helen Binning (1883-1949) and Barbara Binning (b.1889), his maternal aunt Frances Jane Hone (b.1861), together with a female general domestic servant.
In the 1901 census he is shown as 'at school', living at 101 Shooter Hill Road, Blackheath, with his parents (his father was now listed as a flour miller), four siblings: John, Stevenson, Helen and Barbara, together with a cook and a housemaid.
He attended the Royal Academy as a student between 31 July 1906 to July 1911 and was a Gold Medallist there. In the 1911 census he is recorded as an architect draughtsman living at 'Pelham House', 101 Shooters Hill Road, Blackheath, with his parents, three siblings: John, Stevenson and Helen, his maternal aunt Frances Jane Hone, together with a cook and a housemaid. He became an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects
In August 1914 he enlisted in the 14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish) and his service number was 2436. On 9 June 1916 he married Beatrice Mary Mumford (b.1885) at Christ Church, Greenwich, and in the marriage register he is shown as an architect living at Shooters Hill Road, Blackheath, whilst her address was given as 20 Hardy Road, Greenwich. They had one son, Angus Stevenson Binning (1917-1984).
In 1917 when the Territorial Forces were renumbered his service number became 510246. He was promoted and was a Serjeant serving the HQ Company of the 2nd/14th Battalion of his regiment when he was killed in action, aged 32 years, on 30 April 1918. He was buried in Plot N, Grave 81, in the Jerusalem War Cemetery, Churchill Boulevard, Jerusalem, Palestine (now Israel).
On 14 October 1918 his widow was sent a partial payment of £5-5s-7d for his army effects and on 21 February 1919 a further payment of £29-19s-8d. On 2 December 1919 she was sent his war gratuity of £20-10s-0d. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent to his widow who was living at 'Meadowcroft', Nyewood Lane, Bognor, Sussex.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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