Corporal ALBERT CROCKER

Albert Crocker’s story was first told in the Spring 2014 edition of the Journal and this reprint includes some updated information.

Albert was the youngest of five sons born to John William and Jane Crocker of Cemetery Hill, King Street, Odiham[1]. He was born on 7 October 1891[2]. His father, John, had been a carpenter/machinist/engineer at the local brewery for many years[3].  Albert attended London Road Board School from 1 March 1898, having previously attended the Infants School.[4]  He was employed as an assistant at W.P Kensett, Drapery Stores and Outfitters in the High Street after leaving school and was still there at the time of the 1911 census[5].  According to his obituary, he joined the local Territorial unit of The Hampshire Regiment, serving for two or three years.  By August 1914, Albert was living in Godalming, Surrey and in 1915 he married Mabel Wiltshire from Overton in Hampshire[6].   At that time, Albert and Mabel were living in Ham, Surrey. 

By his high service number (G/22226) it is assumed that Albert enlisted at Odiham as a conscript in 1916 following the implementation of the second Military Service Act (which added married men to the list of conscripts).  He joined the 6^th Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). The 6^th Battalion was part of the 37^th Brigade, 12^th Division.  It was not until April 1917 that Albert and his Battalion went to France, having spent time up to then deployed at various military centres across the home country[7].  Before leaving England a group photograph, which includes Albert and his colleagues, was taken (see above).  Albert was pictured far right, middle row.

Throughout most of 1917 the 12^th (Eastern Division) was deployed in the Arras Offensive and it was here that Albert would have fought and helped in the expansion of the tunnel complex below the town of Arras.  In October the Division moved on to take part in operations on the Cambrai front, successfully attacking and taking German trenches on 20 November, but then losing most of these in a German counter-attack on 30 November[8].  

The move to the Somme came with the start of the German Offensive on 21 March 1918, the Division going into the line in and around Albert, parts of which were in enemy hands, on 25 March.   On 1 June, reportedly a “quiet day”, the Battalion was at Beauquesne undertaking “continued training in Musketry, Lewis Gun etc.”  This training continued until 16 June, the Division having gone into “GHQ Reserve” on 6 June.  On 19 June, the Battalion moved to Mardonville Wood and at 7.15 pm on to the front line south of Aveluy Wood to relieve the 17^th Royal Scots.  The Battalion remained “in the line” for the rest of the month, Order No. 28 giving instructions for actions to be taken on 29 June –

“The Battalion will relieve the 7^th Bn. Royal Sussex Regt on the night 29/30^th June 1918, but will only occupy the frontage of the 7^th Bn. Royal Sussex Regt Right Front Company.“ 

The assembly operation was duly completed without casualties by 5.45 pm, but Albert was one of 41 members of 6^th Battalion who was killed in this action on 30 June 1918[9].  

All the Crocker brothers served during the Great War.  John, the eldest, had emigrated to Canada, enlisted in Montreal at the start of the war and served with the Machine Gun Section, Ontario Rifles before transferring to the Royal Engineers.  He went to France in May 1915.  By the end of the war he had become Farrier-Sergeant, 1^st Div. Sig. Co, RE, 1^st Canadian Division and had been awarded the Meritorious Cross for gallantry in the field in France and Flanders[10].

Albert Crocker was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal[11]^[12] and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.