Military History

Albert is listed as being killed in action on 27th February 1917. The Internet Archive book The History of the Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War by Captain Henry FitzMaurice Stacke and the Salonika Campaign Society website reveals that Albert was killed during an air raid by 15 German aircraft on British lines at Summer Hill and in particular when three bombs struck men and mules of the 11th Battalion Transport at the 42nd Remount Depôt which killed Albert along with other men and mules. A brief description of the events leading up to and including that day is transcribed below.

'In Macedonia it will be remembered, the winter of 1916-17 had closed down upon a deadlock as complete as that on the Western front. After completing their conquest of Serbia, the Bulgarian forces had entrenched themselves strongly among the mountainous ridges of the former Serbo-Greek frontier. In front of these entrenchments the advance of the Allied forces had been brought to a standstill and after some minor operations both sides had settled down into what were virtually winter quarters.

The severity of the Balkan winter kept both sides immobile during the months of January and February. During those months the [1th Worcestershire alternated between the forward trenches near ‘Horseshoe Hill’ and the reserve trenches near Chuguntsi. There was very little to choose between the two sets of trenches as regards discomfort and but little to choose between them as regards danger. Shell fire was only spasmodic, and patrolling brought little loss. The only active operation during this period was a raid carried out on February 11th by the 10th Devons, on the right flank of the Battalion, against the Petit Couronné which brought the 11th Worcestershire much excitement but fortunately no casualties.

On the evening of February 27^th [1917] a hostile air raid had most unhappy results for the Battalion. Three bombs fell in the lines of the Battalion transport, killing or wounding over 50 animals (8) and about 20 men'.