Albert was born on 27 June 1895 to John (a baker) and Elizabeth Grover, he was the youngest brother of William. The youngest of 7 children. He was baptised at St Peter and Paul’s church on 24th July 1895. In the 1911 census, Albert was living with his family at 31 Town End street, in Godalming. He was 15 and listed as a tailor’s apprentice. Two of his older sisters were listed as tailoresses.
Again, Albert’s service records or lost. However, we do know that when Albert was 22, he married Florence Victoria Kate Heather (she was 20) at St Nicolas Church, Guildford, Surrey. This was on the 10th February 1918. The war was to end in just a few short months. After the wedding, I’m guessing Albert went back out to France to continue to fight. Again, there’s a gap here. This is filled by the Busbridge roll of Honour ( http://www.theygavetheirtoday.com/busbridge.html ). The Roses of No Man’s Land by Lyn MacDonald is a book about nursing in WW1.
Although, in the text it doesn’t mention them by name, Florence and Albert’s names are in the index. It seems that Albert was wounded in battle and was taken to Etaples, a hospital. This was November 1918, the war was over. So, Florence was taken out to see her new husband. By the time she arrived, she had contracted Spanish Flu and she passed away in the hospital on 26 November 1918. It seems Albert contracted the same illness and was listed as having died of pneumonia on the 17 December 1918. They are both buried in Etaples Military Cemetery. They are buried a couple of rows apart from each other. The inscription on Albert’s headstone is “Sleep on Dear Son”. Florences’ headstone reads “In loving memory until the day break and the shadows flee away”. Florence was 21 and Albert was 23.
He is remembered on the memorial plaque in Busbridge Parish Church and will be listed on the Godalming war memorial from 11 November 2018.
NIkki Legg