Military History

Albert is listed as being killed in action on 20 Mar 1917. The 6th Battalion war diary entry for that day is transcribed below.

St Leger – March 20^th 1917:  Battalion made a reconnaissance in force assisted by 3 Cavalry on both flanks – the Luckman Brigade having just come up as well as the Corps Cavalry at 7.30am. Four companies in line A, B, D,C from right to left. A Coy were unable to engage from the wood at the NE corner of St Leger owing to heavy shelling & machine gun fire & suffered considerable casualties.

B Coy worked up the valley dislodging an advanced post of the enemy made considerable progress in spite of heavy shelling.

C & D Coys advanced on the slope NW of the valley but after going 400 or 500 yards came under heavy machine gun fire as well as considerable shelling.

At about 10.30am it was seen that Croisilles was too strongly occupied to make any further advance, considering the wire in front of it & the fact that we were supported by only one Battery of RFA & one battery of RHA – practicable. Orders were given for companies to withdraw to their original outpost positions. This was done in perfect order & all companies were back by about 12.30 except about 40 men of D Coy who were in a fold of ground not visible from the front but not possible to emerge in daylight. They decided to wait till dark. However about 4pm a party of Germans came out from Croisilles on the right & threatened to outflank them. They therefore came back in small parties without casualties, leaving however one or two wounded men. These were recovered by the 8^th Devon Regiment who relieved the Battalion that evening.

Battalion proceeded to billets in Achiet le Grand.