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Albert is listed as having been killed in action on 15 Sep 1916 during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (Battle of the Somme). The following Report on Operations is copied, with grateful thanks) from the Lightbobs website, which deals with the history of the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry.
OPERATIONS OF SEPTEMBER 15th, 1916.
Map Ref. Albert, 1st Edition, 1/40,000. At 6 p.m., 14th instant, Battalion left Camp F.13.d. and marched to F.6.C., near Montauban-Mametz road, to equip for attack, On completion Battalion moved to orchard in S.27.C., near Montauban, and bivouacked for the night.
Morning of 15th
At 3a.m., 15th September, Reveille; 4.15a.m., tea issued; 5 a.m., Battalion moved off, and formed up in artillery formation of platoon files just north of York Alley, S.23.a. and c., with its left . resting on road from Lorigueval to Bois de Bernafay ; B Company on left, D Company on right, C following B, A following D; Stokes gun, H.Q.; 2 Vickers in 5th Line from left to right. In front were the 5th K.S..L.I. with 9th R.B., and on our right the 9th K.R.R.C. behind R.B.
At about 6 a.m. Colonel Webb was wounded by shrapnel bullet, but continued to lead the Battalion. At zero hour (6.20 a.m.) the Battalion moved off in a N.N.E. direction.
Before reaching Delville Wood the battalion had to split to avoid several batteries of field guns, and joined up again when the wood was reached. Just inside the wood the leading man of A Company was shot dead by a German who had previously surrendered. The German was shot. As the last line cleared the wood a few 8-inch shells fell in Longueval and on the Longueval-Guillemont road behind the wood, but did no damage. The Battalion in the same formation, almost without a halt, continued its march up to the Switch Line between about T.1.c.25 and T.l.d.13, under the personal lead of Colonel Webb, who was in front watching the direction taken. During this march no barrage of any intensity was met with, although a few 4.2 and 7.7 mm. fell just outside the wood
A Tank, out of action, was seen at T.13.a.55. On arrival at Switch Trench the Battalion came under machine gun fire from the direction of Lesboeufs, but received some protection from the 9th R.B. and 9th K.R.R.C., and suffered few casualties. The Battalion extended and continued its advance, with Colonel Webb in the centre of the second line still directing, until Gap Trench was passed between about T.1.a.43 and T.l.b.51, and a line about 300 yards short of Bulls Road, N.31.b.50 to N.32.c.65, was reached about 9.10a.m., when the Battalion halted. During the advance from Switch Trench enemy were seen moving guns back, and a Tank was observed to engage two batteries in Bulls Road, in which encounter it was set on fire and destroyed after silencing one battery.
During the advance to Gap Trench the 9th R.B. and 9th K.R.R.C. suffered heavily from the machine gun fire, especially with regard to officers, and the 9th R.B. could not advance beyond Gap Trench. Between Switch Trench and Bulls Road the Battalion came under heavy field gun fire from Bulls Road and Guedecourt, but, fortunately, had few casualties. Beyond Gap Trench the two right platoons of A Company were sent up to the right of the Battalion to make connexion with the 9th K.R.R.C., as direction had been lost slightly. These platoons found no one on their right flank.
In this position, under very heavy shell fire, the Battalion waited until 10.50 a.m., when the 5th K.S.L.I, and 9th R.B. were due to advance to take Gird Trench and Gird Support, between about N.26.a.l2 and N.33.C.55. After waiting a little time an officer went to the O.C. of the 5th K.S.L.I, and asked what had happened, and if he intended to advance.
It was then discovered that one company only of the 5th K.S.L.I. was in front, and that no one was on our flanks. The situation, therefore, was that we, with this one company of the 5th K.S.L.I., were in this position, with no one on either flank. Under these circumstances Colonel Webb decided to advance up to the line held by the K.S.L.I., and dig in there. He ordered A Company to dig in between the 5th K.S.L.I. and the Cross Roads N.32.C.; B and D to make front and support lines between the 5th K.S.L.I. and Road Junction 31.b.51. On B and D Companies advancing the remaining battery ceased fire. Shortly afterwards a white flag was seen near the battery. The line then lay across Bulls Road at N.31.d.59 1/2—d.68, and thence to Cross Roads. About noon the 9th K.R.R.C. came up on our right flank and joined at the Cross Roads.
Afternoon/Evening of 15th
At 12 noon the enemy in great numbers were seen advancing from Le Transloy, and occupying Gird Trench and Gird Support. At about the same time troops were seen advancing towards the flank of the 9th K.R.R.C. from a south-west direction, but these shortly afterwards retired. Whilst the enemy were advancing our field guns were silent, and, in spite of two S.O.S. rockets, no fire could be got on to them. It turned out afterwards that the majority of the field artillery covering our front were moving forward at the time.
At about 12.15 p.m. Colonel Webb was again wounded, and forced to hand over the command to Major Drury.
At 2 p.m. barrage on Gird Trench and Gird Support was renewed. At 2.50p.m. a Brigadier General of the 41st Division came to Major Drury and asked him to cooperate in an advance to a line N.31.A.0.1.0-N.31.b.40, to protect our left flank. Two platoons of A Company, who were still behind B Company, advanced on the right of the 41st Division, but as these began moving off in a N.N.W. direction, and were to be relieved by a new Brigade, the Company Commander (Lieut Rodocanachi), after consultation with a Staff Officer of the 41st Division, decided to stop and protect our flank, which was being uncovered.
At 5 p.m. the enemy began assembling for a counter attack against our right company and the 9th K.R.R.C. This attempt was frustrated by our rifle and Lewis-gun fire.
At 7.20 p.m. a platoon of C Company with one Lewis-gun under a Captain of the Royal Fusiliers dug a trench round the 7.7 mm. battery aforesaid, which was under the control of D Company.
At about 8 p.m. a Company Commander of the 9th K.R.R.C. came to A Company Commander (Captain Neale) and informed him that the Guards, who had apparently joined up, were falling back 400 yards, that he was following, and that A Company was to conform. Captain Neale refused to retire. Later, other messengers brought the same news, and asked him to retire, but he still refused. Shortly afterwards the same Company Commander of the 9th K.R.R.C. sent a message to Major Drury with the same information, and asked him to retire, but was told that we would not. This company of the 9th K.R.R.C. then retired, and also the Vickers that was guarding our flank, but Major Porter, commanding the 9th K.R.R.C., ordered them back, and sent to say that he was not going to retire.
At about 3 a.m. (16th instant) we were relieved by the 43rd Brigade, and went to Montauban
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