ALCOCK, ALBERT HERBERT (“Harry”)


Source

CWGC

SDGW

Uttoxeter Advertiser

Other

Parents

John and Wilhelmina Alcock, of 6, New Street, Uttoxeter

Yes



6b, 8

Where born

Hendon, Middlesex


Yes


3, 6b, 6c, 9

When born

Abt 1895




6b, 6c

April-May-June 1894




9

Address

6 New Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire




10

18 Stone Road, Uttoxeter




6c

At the time of his death:22 The Picknalls, Uttoxeter




1p

Picknells (parents)



1a, 1b


Spouse






Children






Employment Before Joining up

Post Office Assistant




6c

Where Enlisted

Uttoxeter, Staffordshire


Yes



Regiment

North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales's)

Yes

Yes

1a, 1b, 1c

2 3 8

Unit

1st/6th Bn.

Yes

Yes


2

6th Bn



1a, 1c


“B” Company




2

Rank

Private


Yes

1c, 1d, 1e

6a, 8

Service Number

240518

Yes

Yes


6a, 8

Formerly 2636




2, 6a, 8


Date of Death

1st July 1916

Yes

Yes

1b, 1c, 1c, 1e

2, 6a, 8

Age at time of death

22

Yes




Where Killed or died

Somme 1st Day





Gommecourt



1d, 1e


France



1c


How he died

Missing



1a


Presumed dead




8

Killed in Action


Yes

1c

2

Location of Grave or Memorial

Thiepval - Pier and Face 14 B and 14 C

Yes



7

Awards

Victory Medal: Roll F/104B20 page 2509




8

British Medal: Roll F/104B20 page 2509




8

15 Star: Roll F5B1 page 3




8

Other Places Commemorated

St. Mary’s Parish Church Memorial




Appears as Albert H. Alcock






His family called him 'Harry' and his parents lived in the Picknalls. He was one of 3 brothers killed in the war (William John and Fred were both his brothers), which meant that their parents lost all 3 of their sons.

The family home at 22 The Picknells, Uttoxeter

Before the war, Albert was employed as a Post Office Assistant.

Albert joined up with his brother Fred in August 1914 at a big recruiting rally held in the Town Hall in Uttoxeter shortly after the outbreak of war.

The Town Hall in Uttoxeter, where Harry enlisted with his brother Fred

He left Uttoxeter Station on the 28th August 1914 with other recruits bound for ‘G’ Company of the 1st/6th North Staffordshire Regiment.

At the beginning of October 1914 he was serving at Luton  and he left for France on the 5th of March 1915.

He was reported wounded at the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13th October 1915.  In December 1915 the Uttoxeter Advertiser reported that he was in the Duchess of Connaught's Hospital in Taplow, having been wounded in October. The Regimental History Casualty List  also gives the date of his wounding as 13th October 1915. Many Uttoxeter men were killed and wounded during the Regiment’s charge on the Hohenzollern Redoubt.

In December 1915 Harry sent a letter to the Uttoxeter Advertiser,  in which he said the following:

  “It is a great pleasure to think that the townspeople remember us and subscribe from time to time to buy tobacco, etc., when everything is at top price, and willingly give to several other funds in such a generous way. I am pleased to say that I am practically all right again, and hope to be in the old town again in a short time.”

In August 1916, contradictory reports were coming in concerning his whereabouts and welfare . On the first of August 1916 the Utttoxeter Advertiser reported the news that Albert’s parents has received official notification that Harry had been wounded, but one of the non-commissioned officers attached to his company had also written to say that he was missing. With regard to his brother Jack, no news had been forthcoming.

His parents, concerned that he had heard nothing from him, appealed for information via the Uttoxeter Advertiser.

Albert had actually died at Gommecourt Wood on the first day of the battle of the Somme on the 1st of July 1916, and it was not until April 1917 that his parents finally received official notification of his death. He and William had both been reported missing but were now presumed killed. Fred had been killed in action at Hill 60 shortly afterwards, on 27th July 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Alcock had therefore lost all three of their sons in July 1916[1b]. Albert was 22 at the time of his death.



Harry has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing on the Somme

In Loving Memory of Pte. W. J. Alcock, 9th York and Lancaster Regiment, and of Pte. A. H. Alcock, 6th North Staffs. Regiment, killed in action in France, July 1, 1916. Also of Pte. F. Alcock, of the 6th North Staffs. Regiment, killed in action, Belgium, July 26, 1915. – “Greater love hath no man than to give his life for his friends.”

This notice was posted in the Uttoxeter Advertiser in July 1917 to mark the first anniversary of the three sons’ deaths.

In Loving Memory of our dear Sons, Privates Jack and Harry Alcock, killed in action at Albert and Gommecourt, July 1, 1916; also of our dear boy, Pte. Fred Alcock, killed near Hill 60, Belgium, July 26, 1915.

– At rest. – Ever remembered by Mother, Father and Sisters.

In ever Loving Memory of our dearly loved Sons, Ptes. Jack and Harry Alcock, killed July 1, 1916, at Albert and Gommecourt; also of our dear boy, Pte. Fred Alcock, killed in Belgium, July 26, 1915.

Greater love hath no man than to give his life for his friends.

From Father, Mother and Sisters, The Picknalls, Uttoxeter.

The grief of their parents and sisters is very evident in this notice, which was posted in the Uttoxeter Advertiser on the second anniversary in July 1918.

This was posted in the Uttoxeter Advertiser for the third anniversary in July 1919

Photograph with kind permission of the Uttoxeter Advertiser