Name
Albert Joseph Welch
9 Jun 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/10/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
40669
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Letchworth memorials
Pre War
Albert Joseph Welch was born in Aldgate on 9 Jun 1897 (baptised 11 Jul 1897 at St Botolph, Aldgate) tio Alfred Joseph Welch, dock worker, and Martha Elizabeth(nee Collings).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Sarah Ann (born 1882), Alfred (born 1887), William (born 1889), Mary Ann (born 1892), Elizabeth (born 1895), Albert J, were living at 3, Lydia Street, Stepney, Mile End Old Town.
Alfred’s father died in 1909.
On the 1911 Census Albert J was living at 1, Lydia Street, Stepney, Mile End Old Town with his widowed mother (charwoman), Elizabeth (assistant cocoa works), Albert J (school) and Sarah Maud (born 1900).
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Albert who was probably conscripted in 1916 as Private 45182 in the Suffolk Regiment before transferring as Private 40669 in the Bedfordshire Regiment.
He was posted into the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion who became part of 190 Brigade of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division as it formed on its return from Gallipoli to France. That Division took part in the Battles of the Somme at the battle of Ancre (19-19 Nov) and in 1917 Operations on the Ancre including capture of Miraumont (17-18 Feb) before taking part in the Arras Offensive at 2nd Battle of Scarpe (23-24 Apr) and Arleux (28-29 Apr).
They moved to Ypres to take part in the Battles of 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) at the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele (26 Oct- 1 Nov). The offensive was attacks with limited objectives, delivered at intervals of three or more days. The dates of the phases were 26 Oct, 30 Oct and 6 Nov with a final smaller action on 10 Nov. Albert was killed in the second phase on 30 Oct 1917.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £4 13s 10d was paid to his mother. May be commemorated as J Welch on war Memorial, Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
