Name
Albert Edwin Norman
27 Nov 1900
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/08/1917
16
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
66998
London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles)
11th (City of London) (Service) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panels 6 and 8.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Christ Church Memorial, Watford,
We are not aware of any Garston village memorial
Pre War
Albert Edwin was the youngest son of Julia (nee BARNES) and the late Samuel Albert NORMAN. His parents had married 24 Jan 1884 at St Andrew’s, Watford. Samuel died 1905 in Watford aged 41, and was buried 22 Apr 1905 in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Julia died 1940 in the Bedford district aged 77.
Albert was born 22 Nov 1900 in Garston, Herts, and baptised 5 Dec 1901 at Christ Church, Watford. He attended Parkgate Boys’ School, Watford; then Alexandra School, Watford, from 27 Aug 1912 to 18 Nov 1914.
On the 1901 Census, aged 4 months he lived in Garston, with his parents and elder brother Percival and elder sister Gladys. On the 1911 Census, at school aged 10 he lived in Watford, with his widowed mother, Percival, Gladys, an elder brother George Thomas (born 1884) and younger brother Cyril Ernest (born 1905).
Wartime Service
Albert enlisted in Watford, initially as Private 2400 Royal Field Artillery but was transferred as Private 66998 to City of London Regiment Royal Fusiliers.
He went to France on 31 May 1917 to join 11th (Service) Battalion, who had been overseas since Jul 1915. During the Battle of Passchendaele on 10 Aug 1917 there was an attack by the British to take objectives on the Ghelevelt Plateau near Hooge, Ypres. During this attack on Inverness Copse and Glencorse Wood. Albert was reported Missing on 28 Sep 1917 and his death was presumed to have occurred ‘on or since 10 Aug 1917’ at Inverness Copse. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £4 10s and arrears of £4 1s 1d was paid to his mother. Brother Percival enlisted as Gunner 56874 RHA in 1910 and served in France Aug 14, Gallipoli, 1915 and Home until discharge Mar 1919.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
