No.14345, Guardsman, Albert SHIPP
Aged 22
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Albert SHIPP was born in Haverhill on 21st January 1892 (Risbridge Q1-1892 4A:710), son of George and Elizabeth SHIPP (née WHITING). His mother was just
16 when she married George in St Mary's Haverhill on 30th August 1879. Baptised in St Mary's on 16th April 1898, together with brother John and sister Sarah.
1901 census...Aged 9, he was at 8 Lawrence Road, Edmonton with his father George SHIPP [39] a navvy; his mother Elizabeth [38]; brothers George [22] navvy, and John [14] navvy; sisters Kate [16] cigar factory labourer, and Rose [11] and a visitor Ernest TILBROOK [3]. All were born in Haverhill. Ernest TILBROOK appears to be the son of Sarah Ann TILBROOK who died in childbirth in 1898. He may even be the son of George SHIPP junior. Again there can be confusion as 3 Ernest TILBROOK were born around that time in Risbridge. There were other siblings in the 1891 census, Henry [1882], Phoebe [1885] and Sarah [1890]. At this 1891 census Henry was in the Army in Windsor, and by 1901 Phoebe apparently is now known as Kate and Sarah is now Rose !. 1911 census...Aged 20 , Albert was now a Private in the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards at St Margaret and St John, London. . His parents were now at 43 Folkestone Road, Edmonton with his brothers George (builder's labourer) and John(G.E.R. labourer); sister Rose (machinist in cartridge factory) and Ernest SHIPP[12] who is now recorded as SHIPP, not TILBROOK and son of George (senr) His father's later address was 22 Brettenham Road, Edmonton, his mother having died in 1912. He married Louisa Sophia DEXTER [22-3-1893] in Wandsworth in 1912. They had two children, Louisa Elizabeth [4-3-1913] and Albert Edward George [28-8-1914]. Her address, from CWGC was 5 Froude Street, Silverthorne, Battersea. The pension card has 5 Freude Street, Silveetrhorne Road, Battersea Park His brother Harry was killed serving in France in the Grenadier Guards in 1915 see here His brother John William also served, enlisting on 5th August 1914,No.TR/4/24852 in the 63rd Training Reserve Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers. He seems never to have been fit enough for overseas service. He was discharged at Shrewsbury on 27th September 19i6 by reason of arterial sclerosis and mitral stenosis, congestion of face and hands. The Army deemed him permanently unfit for service but that his ill health was not caused by or aggravated by military service. He returned to live at his father's address 22 Stanley Terrace, Brettenham Road, Edmonton.He was then aged 29. His adopted brother Ernest was killed serving in France in the Royal Irish Regiment see here |
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He enlisted in Stratford, London The South West Suffolk Echo on 26th September 1914 reported that he had re-joined his regiment as Private 8240. The South West Suffolk Echo on 8th April 1915 reported:- "Recent casualties at the Front claim two more Haverhill natives, though for the past few years they have been resident at Edmonton.Pte H. Shipp of the Grenadier Guards, was killed in the recent engagement at Neuve Chapelle. He leaves a widow and five young children. Deceased had previously seen service during the South African War with the Grenadier Guards. For three years he served with the colours and was in the Reserve for nine years. He afterwards took on Section D under which he was called up for the recent war. Pte. Albert Shipp of the same Regiment has been missing since the Battle of Wyverstone (sic - surely Ypres) and it is feared he has also been killed." The Battalion were at Geluveld, east of Ypres, their war diary has the following:- " Oct 29th 1914 - The Scots Guards and Border Regiment withdrew to Veldhoek at dawn. Soon after dawn the German guns opened fire and this fire seemed to be concentrated on the main road about VELDHOEK. This was almost immediately followed by an attack on GELUVELD, both on the N and S of the MENIN ROAD. The Coldstream Guards (1st Bde) and the 1st Grenadiers and Gordon Highlanders 29th Bde lost very heavily forcing them to retire. A counter attack was made by the 2nd Bde which was successful in driving back the Germans.Later in the day the . Bn advanced and retook almost all of the ground which had been lost earlier in the day. By a misunderstanding the Battalion advanced some distance beyond the line selected for the outpost and were only withdrawn under extreme difficulties, being shot at by our own outpost.Only 150 men could be mustered that night and went into billets in a farm house about 300 yards in the rear of the outpost line.The night was pitch dark and it rained in torrents, the men being wet through.The transport did not come up this night. The Head Quarters of the 1st Bde were at the crossroads at VELDHOEK. The 1st Grenadiers lost a great many officers and men". CWGC figures this early in the war could not be as accurate as later, but they put the number killed at 61, 51 of them with no known grave. |
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