ALBERT ERNEST THORP
15 June 1898 - 30 December 1917
At School 1911 - 1912
Pte 8864/ 762869 1/28th London Regt (Artists' Rifles)
Albert was born in Moss Side. Manchester and, in 1901, aged 2, was living at 92 Wellington Street, Moss Side, with father Albert, a bleachers representative, mother Mary and brother Frederick, aged 11. By 1911 the family had moved to 22 Athol Road, Alexandra Park, a stones throw away from School. On leaving School he was employed as an Assistant Buyer.
Albert's service records survive and show he enlisted in the 28th London Regiment (Artists Rifles) on 20th October 1916, aged 18 years 4 months, at the Regiment headquarters in Dukes Road, Euston Road, London. He was described as 5 ft 10¼" with an expanded chest measurement of 39½ inches. It is not known whether Albert had any artistic leanings or wish to join the Regiment, but as his preferred branch of the service was "Cavalry" it is likely he was conscripted and had no choice in which Regiment he was allocated to.
At that time the 1/28th was in France so Albert would have joined the
2/28th which was the home reserve battalion providing reinforcements
for the 1/28th at the Front. Up until the summer of 1917 the 1/28th had acted as an Officers Training Corps based in St Omer, France. From this time potential officers were trained in the UK and the 1/28th became an ordinary infantry battalion, transferring to 190th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division on 28th June 1917.
Albert undertook training at the Hare Hall
Camp in Romford, Essex, the 2nd Battalion Officer Training Corps establishment. On completion of his training Albert was posted to the 1/28th Battalion and embarked at Southampton on 13th September 1917 for Le Havre, joining the Regiment "in the field" on the 26th in a draft of 47 men from the 2nd Battalion. At this time the 1/28th had completed a tour of duty in the trenches
completed a tour of duty in the trenches and were resting and training at La Comte, some 11 miles south west of Bethune. On the 28th, Albert was admitted to the 22nd Casualty Clearing Station with "P.U.O." (Pyrexia (fever) of Unknown Origin), at Bruay. This could have been trench fever, spread by body lice, or something he contracted on the journey. On 3rd October he was transferred to No. 4 General Hospital at Camiers (5 miles north of Etaples and part of the Etaples base depot) and on 26th October transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples. 2 days later he was transferred to No. 5 Convalescent Depot at Cayeux-sur-Mer, some 13 miles north of Le Treport, and was ultimately discharged on 14th November to Le Havre to entrain to rejoin his Battalion.
In early December 1917, the Battalion moved from an area close to the Belgian border to the Flesquieres salient. In November the Army, with the aid of Tanks, had made considerable gains towards Cambrai only to be pushed back by German counter attacks. However they still had a foothold in the front trenches of the Hindenburg Line and the 63rd Division were sent to support the holding of the line. On 15th December the Battalion arrived in Metz-en-Couture and on the 17th occupied the front line trenches on Welsh Ridge, to the east of Couillet Wood. Having just been taken, the trenches were in poor order, being neither continually trenched nor adequately protected by barbed wire, and the 190th Brigade spent the next 12 days digging and repairing the line. On the 29th, the Battalion was in the support line, the weather was bad and snow lay on the ground.
Over the night of 29th/30th December, patrols reported enemy transports moving up through Marcoing and that the enemy were preparing to attack. At 6.30 a.m. the attack came with a heavy artillery barrage lasting 15 minutes, followed by an immediate infantry attack, with flamethrowers, the leading troops wearing snow suits for camouflage and advancing under the cover of the bombardment. The enemy entered the forward trenches at a number of points, the defenders having suffered heavily under the bombardment. Corner Trench, Welsh Trench and Welsh Support were lost by the 188th Brigade, the 189th had both flanks penetrated and the 190th were driven back, losing Eagle Avenue.
The Battalion war diary reports that at 10.00 a.m. the Battalion moved up to the Front Line and at 11,15 a.m. A and B Companies counter attacked but were met with heavy converging machine gun fire. Some ground was recovered and a new line established. During the counter attack the Battalion suffered casualties of 9 officers and 108 other ranks, killed wounded or missing, of whom 6 officers and 40 other ranks were killed or died of wounds . Albert was amongst the killed. His body must have been recovered and buried on the battlefield as personal effects of his identity disc, letters and a purse were returned to his father.
His grave must afterwards have been lost in ensuing battles as he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, Pier and Face 12 C .
Administration of his estate was granted to Albert Edward Thorp, dyer's agent. Effects £87 10s.
He is also commemorated on the Wilbraham Road Congregational Church Roll of Honour (now St. Ninian United Reformed Church) in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
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THE HULMEIAN – April 1918 Deaths THORP – Killed in action on December 30th, 1917, Albert Ernest Thorp, Artist’s Rifles, son of Mr and Mrs Thorp, 22, Athol Road, Alexandra Park, aged 19 years. |
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THE HULMEIAN – April 1918 Old Hulmeians and the War Deaths Private A E THORP, Artists Rifles, who was killed in action on December 30th, was at the School from September 1911 to July 1912. |