Name
Albert Charles Lee
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/10/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
42505
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PREMONT BRITISH CEMETERY
Plot V, Row A, Grave 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley, Church of Ascension Memorial, Bedmond, Watford Borough Roll of Honour
Biography
Albert Charles was born 1894 in Abbots Langley to Henry Lee and Martha Ann (nee Lovell). His parents married 16 September 1872 at St Mary’s, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. On the 1901 Census the family were living in Bedmond. Albert’s mother Martha died 1903 in Bedmond, Herts, aged 52, and was buried 27 August at St Lawrence’s, Abbots Langley, Herts. On the 1911 Census Albert, aged 16 and a farm labourer, was living in Bedmond at Breaksper Farm with his widower Father Henry (who died in 1922 in the Watford district aged 73), brother Frederick and sister Annie and her family.
Albert Charles Lee was recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine as the uncle of Albert Henry Lee, from Bedmond, who was killed in action in France on 9th September 1918. Albert Charles was regularly listed each month in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour from September 1914 to the end of the War. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour first listed Albert in September 1914, serving with the Bedfordshires, and he was regularly listed each month throughout the War. In July 1915 he was recorded serving with 6th Bedfordshires, and by January 1918 he had moved to 7th Bedfordshires. It is not known when in 1918 he transferred to the 11th Essex, however he was killed in action with this battalion on 17th October 1918. He died on the same day as two other Abbots Langley men; Leonard Dickinson (1st Northants) who died in France and Frank Morton (Army Service Corps) who died at sea en-route from Egypt to England on leave.
Albert Charles served with the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 10671 (a serial number issued in Aug 1914) and transferred to 6th Battalion around Jul 1915 before being transferred again to 7th Battalion. The 7th Battalion Beds Regt was disbanded in May 1918 and this may have been when Albert was transferred to 11th Battalion Essex Regiment and renumbered as 42503. He also became a Lance Corporal. Albert married on 22 December 1917 at Christ Church, Watford to Edith Elsie Clark and the photograph that appears here is of the wedding. The family believe that him mother is sitting to his right and Edith's parents are to her left.
Albert was killed in action with this battalion on 17th October 1918. During the Battle of the Selle during the Final Advance into Picardy. He died on the same day as two other Abbots Langley men; Leonard Dickinson (1st Northants) who died in France and Frank Morton (Army Service Corps) who died at sea en-route from Egypt to England on leave. Albert Charles Lee was buried at Premont British Cemetery, about 12 miles south-east of Cambrai in France, was commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial, and on the War Memorial at the Church of the Ascension at Bedmond.
His widow, Edith, remarried 6 May 1922 at St Andrew’s, Watford, to Samuel Holford BUCKLEY; she died 19 June 1984 in Watford aged 88, and was buried 3 July in North Watford Cemetery.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, Chris Hussey
