Albert Edward Loose was the younger brother of  Charles H (Henry) Loose. Their parents were Henry and Sarah. Henry worked in an iron foundry but he would later change jobs and become an electrician. The family moved around a fair bit, living at various places in the North West. Charles was born at Burnley in 1879. He was the second child with an elder sister Amelia, a year older. There was also another brother, Walter, born in 1881. Albert was born in 1883 at Liverpool where a second sister, Constance, was also born in 1886. The family also lived in Blackpool and Widnes. By 1901 they had moved to Oswestry where they lived at Greens Cottages, Castle Street. On the same census, 1901, their father lived at Pembroke Road, Ilford – probably there for his work as an electrical engineer. In 1901 Albert was living with his mother and siblings Walter and Constance at Greens Cottages. He was working in the building trade as a slater’s labourer – his brother Walter was a bricklayer’s labourer. Brother Charles was living nearby on North Castle Street. In 1901 Charles married and in 1911 Albert was boarding with them, and their children, at 2 Porkington Cottages, Willow Street. He was then working as a casual labourer.

Around this time Albert joined the Army Special Reserves. He would have been mobilised in August 1914, joining 3 Bn KSLI at Shrewsbury. He was posted to 2 Bn KSLI, joining the battalion at Winchester in November 1914 just after they returned from India. He went over to France with the battalion on 21 December 1914. He was reported missing presumed KIA on 26 April 1915 during Second Ypres. He was killed during Battle of St Julien 24 April – 4 May 1915, Second Ypres at either Hill 37 or Broedesiude. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres and also at St Oswald’s Church, Oswestry (listed as Albert H Loose, KSLI).

NOTE – Albert’s name is out of sequence on the Gates suggesting a ‘late entry’. See also Thomas Henry Loose a possible mistake for his brother Charles Henry Loose