BORN – Liverpool
HOMEFRONT – Place / Occupation
JOB – Apprentice Joiner
UNIT – 6 Bn attached 7 Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
RANK – Second Lieutenant
THEATRE – Kaiser Offensive / Operation Michael. Somme. Happencourt. 7 Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. 24 March 1918.
DIED – KIA 24 March 1918. Aged 24.
BURIED – Pozieres Memorial (grave unknown). (CWGC)
Albert Campbell Edwards was born in Liverpool in 1894, the second youngest of 12 children. His father, Edward, was originally from Ellesmere, he had married Grace Campbell in 1869. At that time they lived at Gatacre Place, Brynhafod Road, Oswestry. Edward worked as an ale and porter dealer at the Osbourne Hotel. While living in Oswestry they had two children; John (b. 1871) and Martha (b. 1874). By 1881 the family had moved to Liverpool and lived on 16 Dove Street, Toxteth Park. All the other children were born in Liverpool – the family maintained their connection to Oswestry and their first son, John, remained in the town living with his grandmother Ann and his aunt Mary at Gatacre House. In 1901 the family lived at 233 Kensington, Liverpool. In Liverpool their father worked as a stableman and cab driver; he died in 1908. By 1911 they were living on Fell Street also in Kensington. Albert was 17 years old and was serving an apprenticeship as a joiner.
Albert, and his younger brother Sidney, enlisted together joining the 1/6 Bn King’s Liverpool Regiment in 1914 and went over to France in February 1915. Albert served in the ranks for 20 months and was promoted to corporal. In June 1916 he broke his ankle and came home to convalesce when he spent time at Park Hall Camp – and close to his Auntie Mary, who was still living in Oswestry. Around this time he was promoted Sergeant and was then posted back to France only to return a short time later for officer training, receiving his commission in October 1917. He was then posted to 6 Bn, attached to 7 Bn, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry.
Albert was killed in action on 24 March 1918 during Operation Michael, Kaiser Offensive. At the time of his death the 7 Bn DoCLI was engaged in a fighting withdrawal from Ollezy back to Guiscard. His body was not recovered, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.
Albert‘s brother, Sidney Campbell Edwards, survived the war after being wounded in the wrist and discharged from the army.
Acknowledgements.
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