Albert Henry Smith 1890-1917

Private 10131, 1^st Bn., North Staffs

Albert was the first child of Albert Edward Smith and his second wife Emma Brough and he was baptised at Armitage St. John the Baptist church on 21^st April 1890. He had two older siblings – Edith and Richard – and Richard’s baptism on 5^th February 1888 had been preceded the day before by the burial of his mother, Ellen nee Lawley. His father was a coachman like his grandfather and was probably working for one of the more monied families in the village. The family moved to Longdon in 1902 where Albert Snr became the Parish Clerk and Sexton.

Alfred became a waggoner on one of the local farms and enlisted in 1^st Bn., North Staffs on 8^th November 1914. Very little information on his service is available but it would appear that he was killed on 18^th November 1917 in the region of Passchendale just after the battle had stopped. He is commemorated at JeanCourt Communal Cemetery in France.