Name
Albert Cutler
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/08/1917
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
515131
London Regiment (London Scottish)
1st/14th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRANDHOEK NEW MILITARY CEMETERY NO.3
II. H. 29.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
A PLACE IS VACANT IN OUR HOME THE VOICE WE LOVED IS STILL
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary's Church Memorial, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Kings Langley memorials, London Scottish WW1 Memorial, Westminster, London
Pre War
Albert Cutler was born on 28 March 1890, in Apsley End, Herts, the son and eldest child of Harry/Henry and Laura Cutler, and baptised there on 18 May 1890, at which time the family were living in Weymouth Street. He was one of seven children.
He attended Apsley Boys School from 1895, leaving on 6 March 1903 to start work in the printing trade training as a Stereotyper. He was a member of the Hemel Hempstead Athletic Club and the Highgate Harriers.
On the 1901 Census, the family were living at 73 Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a painter and paper hanger.
By 1911 Albert was boarding at the home of Frederick and Georgina Norton at 13 Bertram Road, Hendon, Middlesex and was employed as a Stereotyper in the Printing Trade.
On 16 August 1913, Albert married Emily Hunt at St Mary’s Church, Apsley End. They had one daughter, Marjorie Joyce Cutler born in December 1915. He was said to be living in Tottenham when he enlisted the following year, but his widow gave her address as Shendish Cottage, Kings Langley, Herts.
His parents later lived at South View, Manor Estate, Apsley, Herts.
Wartime Service
Albert enlisted at Mill Hill, in December 1915 under the Derby Scheme, whereby he could defer army service, and was put in the Army Reserve. His occupation in the printing trade was 'starred' giving him an exemption until he was mobilized on 1 March 1917 and posted to Winchester to the 14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish), with Service Number 515131. (The London Scottish had been stationed at Abbots Langley, Herts in August 1914).
On 9 June 1917 he embarked at Southampton, for Le Havre, France, arriving the following day. He spent a short time in the trenches and in training before moving to Ypres in early August.
His first major action was in the Battle of Langemarck (part of the Third Battle of Ypres) on 16 August 1917. The attack was notable for very bad weather and ground conditions which resulted in slow progress which made the soldiers easy targets for the enemy. The Battalion sustained heavy casualties.
Albert was one of the wounded having received a gun shot wound. He was taken to No.44 Casualty Clearing Station at Brandhoek, but died the following day, 17 August 1917, aged 27. He is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs. E. Cutler, Shendish Cottages, Kings Langley, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "A PLACE IS VACANT IN OUR HOME THE VOICE WE LOVED IS STILL". She received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £1 17s 3d and a pension of 18s 9d a week for herself and her child from 25 February 1918.
His younger brother Robert Owen Cutler served with the Bedfordshire Regiment and was part of the British Army of the Rhine (Army of Occupation in Germany).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk
