No.R/21683, Rifleman, Albert William STURGEON
Aged 32
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Albert William Sturgeon was born in Great Barton (3rd qtr 1884 Thingoe 4a:659), son of James and Elizabeth STURGEON (née FOULGER)
It is very easy to mis-identify some men, especially as this Sturgeon had a father James, and was known to the family as Fred, just as Frederick Harry Sturgeon had a father James. Luckily they were in different regiments and a Bury Free Press article quickly resolved it. 1891 census...Aged 6, he was at 6 School Road, Great Barton with his father James STURGEON [48] farm labourer; his mother Elizabeth [47]; brothers Herbert F[18] farm labourer, Walter J [17] butcher's assistant and Victor G [3]; sisters May G [13], Lily M [10] and Evaline R [9]. All were born in Great Barton. 1901 census...Aged 16 a butcher's assistant, he was "near the Boys School" Great Barton with his parents; brothers Walter (foreman road labourer) and Victor; sister Lily. 1911 census...Aged 27, a horsekeeper, he was at 92 Bridge Road, Battersea, boarding with the CRANMER family. He married Grace Elizabeth LAWLER [27-3-1894] in 1916 in Battersea. Their daughter Grace Elizabeth was born on 4th July 1916. On the pension card his widow was at 15 Henry Street, Battersea |
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He enlisted in Camberwell, when resident in Battersea.
There is an extensive war diary covering the 15th September. The battalion were in Delville Wood. They made prgress despite being the target of a gas shelling by our own artillery. Reaching TEA TRENCH they encountered stiffer opposition and also they advanced into our own barrage, sustaining casualties. In addition the writer of the diary condemmed the tanks as more of a nuisance and our own barrage was being too varied and unpredictable but was very effective in cutting the wire..
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