Name
Albert Hebbs
29 June 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/10/1918
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
59387
Welsh Regiment
15th Bn
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MOULIN-DE-PIERRE BRITISH CEMETERY
B. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE DID HIS DUTY NOBLY HE OBEYED HIS COUNTRY'S CALL
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Leverstock Green memorials
Pre War
Albert Hebbs was one of twins born on 29 June 1887 to Goodin (Goodwin) and Rebecca Hobbs, and along with his twin William, he was baptised at St John Limehouse Fields, Highbury, London on 31 July 1887. (Sadly his twin died in 1889). The family were then living at Askell Mews, Blackstock Road, Highbury and his father's occupation was a Farrier and remained there on the 1891 Census. They had moved to Redbourn, Herts by 1901 (his father's birthplace) and were living at the Running Horses Inn where his father was the Publican.
They had returned to Highbury by 1911, living at 223a Blackstock Road and his father had returned to the occupation of Farrier. Annie Thorn, (who was born in Hemel Hempstead), was a boarder at his parent's house and working as a cardboard box maker and Albert was a house decorator. He married her on 22 June 1911 at St Johns Church, Highbury Park, Islington and they had a daughter, Violet Amy who was born on 12 October 1912.
On enlistment he was working as a store keeper and lived at 431 West Green Road, Tottenham. His widow's address was given as Belcony Villa, Leverstock Green.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 28 June 1916 at Osterley Park, Middex and initially served with the Army Service Corps No. 189492, to be trained as a Motor Transport Driver. It seems his training was unsuccessful, possibly because his service record shows he was found to be hypermetropic (long sighted) and needed glasses. He was transferred to the Infantry (57th Territorial Reserve) Battalion on 2 February 1917.
His eyesight did not, however stop him being transferred to the Welsh Regiment and sent to the Western Front. He embarked at Southampton on 20 May 1917, arriving at Le Havre the following day. He was posted to the 17th Welsh Regiment in the field on 24 May 1917, later transferring to the 15th Btn Welsh on 11 June 1917. He was wounded on 30 July 1917 with a gunshot wound to the thigh but recovered, rejoined his battalion and was appointed paid Lance Corporal on 26 August 1918. He was killed in action on 8 October 1918 and is buried at Moulin-de-Pierre British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs Annie Hebbs, Belconey Villa, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: “HE DID HIS DUTY NOBLY HE OBEYED HIS COUNTRY'S CALL”. She received a war gratuity of £13 and pay owing of £5 3s 5d. She also received a pension of £1 5s a week for herself and her daughter.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
