| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Albert was born in Nafferton in 1886 the son of Christopher Grindell Braithwaite and Sarah Ann. In 1901 Christopher was employed as a railway porter and the family were living in Norwood, Beverley. Albert, aged 14, was living in the home of Robert Appleton, Surgeon, in North Bar Within, employed as an errand lad. By 1911 Albert was living in Rolston, Hornsea, in the home of William Watson and his daughter, Violet, who later became Albert’s wife. Albert was working as a gardener. It is known, from a report in the Beverley Guardian dated Dec 1917, that before the war Albert was employed as an under gardener at Rolston Hall.
Albert and Violet were married on 8 Aug 1914 in Mappleton Parish Church, just four days after the declaration of the war. He enlisted in the 12th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment in Oct 1914, and in Dec 1915, only three months after the birth of his daughter, Madge, the battalion, as part of the 31st Division of the 92nd Brigade, embarked for Egypt to defend the Suez Canal. In Mar 1916 the 31st Division left Port Said bound for Marseilles and then on to Bertrancourt, where they took over a stretch of the front opposite the village of Serre at the northernmost end of The Somme. The Battalion took part in the Battle of Ancre from 13 to 18 Nov 1916. Considerable casualties were sustained before the battle was called off and Albert was one of those casualties. He was reported missing on 13 Nov and was later ‘presumed to have died’. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals and the 15 Star.
Albert is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He is also remembered on the Hengate Memorial, Beverley.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |