(L to R) Military Medal; 1914 -15 Star

Albert was born in 1893 in Irlams’ o’ th’ Height, Salford. Little is known of his early life. It is known that before the First World War he worked as a shopkeeper and lived at 30 Parrin Lane in Eccles. He was married to Gertrude Amelia on the 13th December 1913 in Worsley. They had one child called Kathleen who was born on the 9th June 1914.

Albert joined the Army on the 14th September 1914 in Manchester. His attestation papers state that he had blue eyes, brown hair and was 5 foot 4 inches tall. He was given the service 11861 and was assigned to the 19th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. Also known as the 4th City Battalion, this was a ‘pals battalion’ of Manchester lads who enlisted, trained and fought together.

Albert served in France. He was promoted to Corporal and then to Sergeant on the 5th August 1916. He was then made Acting Colour Sergeant Major between August and September 1917, after which he reverted to Sergeant.

Albert was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in September 1917. Unfortunately, the details of why he earned this medal are not known. He was later captured on the 4th June 1918. There are no further details for Albert during the war so it is likely that he remained at a prison camp until the end of the war. He was demobilised on the 13th March 1919. Little is known of what happened to him after the war. He died in 1967 aged 74.

His medals were donated to the museum collections in 2013.