Albert Edward SMITH

300118, Private. b. 1892, Clayton d. Tue. 17th September 1918 (aged 26).

In 1901 we find Albert aged 9 living with his widowed mother Alice and his younger brother John Willie , Alice is shown as a Farm Servant and the family are living in Wharton Square. Clayton Heights. By the time of the 1911 census their situation has improved. Alice remarried in 1903, Albert is now 19, his brother John Willie is 17 and they are shown as working as Farmers Sons and living at Jockey Hall Farm on Baldwin Lane. Although Alberts record is crossed out, it is presumed he was away the night of the census. The brothers have been joined by younger sisters, Gladys and Agnes.

During his civilian life Albert worked as a slaughterman in the abattoir on St. James’ Road and he continued this occupation until he decided to join up in October 1914 along with his brother. Both were sent out to France in February 1915 and Albert was attached to the 9th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment whilst his brother was posted to a different unit.

Albert and John served in the trenches for sixteen months before both were wounded during the opening days of the Battle of the Somme.

Albert was fortunate in some respects, as he was hit by shrapnel in the arm and was consequently sent back to Britain, to a hospital in Birmingham, where he spent several months recovering before being returned to the front.

His brother was not so lucky: a piece of shrapnel hit him in the face causing him to totally lose his eyesight in one eye and partially in the other. He was discharged from the army and returned home to Jockey Hall Farm, the brothers’ home on the Clayton – Queensbury border, where the Smith family had lived for many years.

It would be another eighteen months after Albert’s return to the front that he was finally to fall in the Cambrai region during the closing weeks of the war. The Battalion war diary records that they were in trenches in an area close to Vallulart Wood, two companies were in Cavalry Support trench, one in Revelon Wood and one in a Sunken Road.  The 17th September is described as a quiet day with orders received for an attack at 05:20hrs on the following morning.

Albert is buried at Gouzeaucourt New British Cemetery, Nord, France. His headstone bears the inscription “Ever remembered”.

This video captures the cemetery.