Name
Albert James Hazel
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/11/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
203185
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KANTARA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY
E.429
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Codicote Village Memorial, Peace Memorial Hall, Codicote, Hertford Town Memorial
Pre War
Albert James Hazel was born in Windsor, Berks in 1880, the son of John James and Mary Ann Hazel. (N.B. his birth surname was registered as Hasley). He was one of nine children, but three had died by 1911.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 2 Cambridge Place, Clewer, New Windsor, Berks, where his father was working as a labourer. (N.B. the surname is given as Hasley). They had moved to 18 Helena Road, New Windsor by 1901 at which time Albert was working as a milk carrier. (N.B. again the surname is given as Hasley).
He enlisted into the Army Service Corps in 1902, at which time he gave his occupation as a Hammerman.
When he married Mary Ann Louisa Lovegrove on 30 November 1908 at Bracknell, Easthampstead, Berks, and they had a son Frederick in 1908. On the 1911 Census they were living at 2 Church Place, Clewer Fields, Windsor. Berkshire where Albert was working as a Blacksmith for a Veterinary Surgeon. They later had two more children, Dorothy in 1913 and John in 1916.
They later lived in Newtown, Codicote and had also spent some time in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Albert Initially enlisted at Windsor on 14 February 1902 and served as a Private (No. 19306) in the Army Service Corps. He was placed into the Army Reserve on 3 February 1910, being finally discharged on 3 February 1914, having fulfilled his 12 years’ service.
At the outbreak of war he re-enlisted in Hertford and served with the the 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment initially under reg. no. 9180.
It is not known when he was sent overseas, but he was wounded in action and died of his wounds on 10 November 1917 at the 43rd Stationery Hospital near Gaza, Palestine.
Hertfordshire Express reported on 1st of December 1917 that Albert's wife recently received two letters, "one of which stated that her husband was in hospital in El Arish, suffering from gun-shot wounds and compound fracture of the left arm. The other conveyed the deep sympathy of the Bedfordshire Territorial Force Association, and announced that Private Hazel died of wounds on November 10 while serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force."
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3.10s and pay owing of £6 14s 9d, she also received a pension of £1 9s 7d a week. N.B. the surname of Hazel, seems to have initially been written as Hasley or Harley until his enlistment into the army in 1902, at which point it changed to Hazel, sometimes with two ll's.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Brenda Palmer, June Colegrove, Roll-of-Honour.com
