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Thank you all for your kind replies. I found Sion's posts seconds after I posted my query here, and was happy to find Alfred's name, despite no regiment.

I haven't found his wartime addresses, no, though I will be looking for those now in absent voters' lists as I know they sometimes give a regiment in lieu of their names.

Thanks to all of you again.

@mmm45 - that is my suspicion. The family legend has it that he lied about his age to get in. He wouldn't have had to lie if he'd joined up in 1914 - he'd have been 22!

@forester - I know he saw front line action, so I don't think he'd have been just on the home front (if that is what your post implies. Sorry if I've misunderstood). He was gassed at some point and suffered on his return from poor breathing. He is also said to have been punished for punching an officer - oops! - while in France, so am hoping to corroborate this story somehow.

There's a possibility that the medal card for F Codd serving in the 44th RF, MGC and Dorsetshire refers to him, and he was transferred from his joining-up regiment to the Dorsetshire before going abroad and therefore picking up one of the medals. That still leaves him with an unidentified cap badge and an underage face. 

That's what makes me think it was a studio shot with him dressed up - he looks so young in it!  He was born in 1892, so should have been 22 in 1914.

Just had a relative confirm that on his daughter's birth cert in 1918, he was listed as a private in the Royal Fusileers, with his actual occupation in brackets. That suggests he was only in the army for the war and not a career solider. Does this look anything like a RF uniform?

Oh my goodness - thank you so much for the speedy reply! Very grateful, though a shame there were no Watts' or Stones as witnesses to give me more family clues.

Thanks again 

Wow!!  I'm so grateful!! Thank you so much - I'm really touched you replied so quickly...

Olivia