Albert Edward Cooksey

Male, b. 17 November 1892, d. 1925
     Albert Edward Cooksey, son of George Philip Cooksey, was born at 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London, on 17 November 18921,2 and was baptized on 2 December 1892 at St Mary, Battersea, London.1

Albert's childhood was spent among his brothers and sisters at Lavender Road3 but by 1911, aged 19, he had left home and was working as a labourer, living in the parish of New Sarum in the home of Joseph Loder, also a labourer at 39 New Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire.4

When war with Germany was declared in 1914 Albert volunteered to join the Hampshire Regiment.

"... he proceeded to France on the completion of his training and fought in the Battle of Ypres and other engagements, in which he was wounded. On his recovery he was drafted to the Dardanelles and fought in the later engagements up to the Evacuation of the Peninsular. He afterwards returned to France and while fighting in the Somme Offensive was severely wounded."5,6

From Albert's record of service described in the National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918, to have fought in the First Battle of Ypres he would have been in the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment.7 The remainder of Albert's service matches the movements of the 2nd Battalion. Perhaps he was transferred to this unit after recovery from his wounds.8

On 2 January 1916 the Hampshires were withdrawn from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt. Then on 29 March 1916 they landed at Marseilles in France and proceeded to the Western Front where they took part in the Battle of the Somme 1916, and where Albert received his severe wounds.9

As a Lance Corporal, Albert was subsequently discharged as medically unfit for further service. He held the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory medals.5,10

Albert Edward Cooksey married Florence Beatrice Clarkson on 19 August 1917 at St Saviour, Battersea Park, London,11,12 and lived at 44 Cabul Road, Battersea, London, in 1918.13 By 1921 Albert and Florence had moved to 146 Robertson Street, Battersea, London,14 where Albert died in 1925.15,16

Citations

  1. [S186] Ancestry.com. England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 13 March 2014). Original data: Register of baptisms at St Mary, Battersea, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, reference P70/MRY2, Item 024. [LONPAR/B0014].
    1892 Dec 9th, born Nov 17th 1892, Albert Edward, s. of George & Selina Cooksey, 128 Lavender Road, Painter.
  2. [S153] Ancestry.com. FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 11 March 2014). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of births. [GROINDXB].
    1892, Dec Q, Cooksey, Albert Edward, Wandsworth, Volume 1d, Page 668.
  3. [S150] 1901 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 24 November 2006), household of George W Cooksey (b 1851). Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1901. Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 453; Folio: 48; Page: 27. [C1901-0002].
    London, Battersea, 128 Lavender Road;
    George W Cooksey, Head, M, 46, Painter, Worker, London Clerkenwell;
    Selina Cooksey, W, M, 40, Hants, Gosport;
    Julia Cooksey, Daur, 13, London, Battersea;
    George, Son, 11 London, Battersea;
    Frederick, Son, 10, Battersea, London;
    Albert, Son, 9, Battersea, London;
    Thomas H, Son, 6, Battersea, London;
    Philip, Son, 4, Battersea, London;
    Ellen F, Daur, 1, Battersea, London;
    Lilian F, Daur, 3 mths, Battersea, London.
    Daughter Lilian is shown with a middle initial of 'F' but at birth she was recorded as Lilian Mary.
  4. [S187] Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 8 March 2014), household of Joseph Loder (b 1853). Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1911. Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 12116; Schedule no. 96. [C1911-0024].
    Joseph Loder, Head, 58, Married, 10, none, Labourer, Worker, Salisbury, Wilts, English;
    Albert Cooksey, Boarder, 19, Single, Labourer, Worker, Battersea, London, English.
  5. [S188] Ancestry.com. The National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918 (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 March 2014). "Military. The National Roll of the Great War, 1914-1918, The National Publishing Company, 1 York Place, Baker Street, London W.1.. [MIL0008].
    Cooksey, A. E., Private, Hampshire Regiment ... 146 Robertson Street, Wandsworth Road S.W.8.
  6. [S169] Ancestry.com. 1914-1920 British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 19 March 2014). Original data: Medal Rolls Index Cards, Army Medal Office. WWI Medal Index Cards: The Western Front Association. [MIL0004].
    Cooksey, Albert E., Hampshire R, L/C 19874, Theatre of War: 2B, Address: 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, S.W.
    The Theatre of War code indicates Gallipoli (Dardanelles).
  7. [S190] James Daly. Daly History Blog (http://dalyhistory.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/… : accessed 19 March 2014) . [MILITARY].
    We cannot be certain of Albert's war record but as far as the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment are concerned, they remained in trenches in the Ypres Salient after the battle. According to the war diary there was very little fighting at this time, and the Hampshires spent most of their time improving their trenches, which were flooded by heavy rain. Pumps were provided, and worked continuously day and night. During this stage in the war, when the Army was still adapting to trench warfare, units spent much of their time in the front line.
    Orders were received for a serious attack on 19 December 1914 and the Hampshires moved forward in support. 15 men were killed, and 1 officer and 25 other ranks were wounded.
    In December 1914 the 1st Hampshires were involved in one of the most well known and most poignant episodes of the First World War. Between Christmas Day and New year an informal truce with the 133rd Saxon Infantry Regiment, of the XIX Corps. The British Army’s leadership strongly discouraged truces, but the men facing each other on the Western Front found that they had much more in common than they did with their on senior officers.
  8. [S189] 2nd Battalion The Hampshire Regiment WW1 (http://1rhamps.com/ww1/Battalions/2ndhampshire.html : accessed 19 March 2014) . [MILITARY].
    Again, we cannot be certain of Albert's involvement in all of the following actions.
    The 2nd Battalion Hampshire Regiment were in Mhow, India at the outbreak of war. Returning to England on 22 December 1914, they were eventually based at Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick. They received two drafts of men, 181 on January 31st 1915, and 50 on February 20th. Albert could have been among these drafts, having recovered from his wounds. The Battalion was at first allotted for France, but then was dispatched to Gallipoli on March 28th, calling at Malta and Alexandria (Egypt), and then Lemnos (Greece). On April 24th headquarters,Y and Z Companies left Lemnos in the Alaunia for Tenedos, where they transferred to the SS River Clyde ready to head for Gallipoli, at Cape Helles.
    Shortly before midnight on April 24th they left for the Peninsula with three companies of the Dublin's and Munsters Fusiliers. The SS River Clyde was deliberately run aground on the beach; ports had been cut in her sides to enable the men to get out quickly on to a steam hopper towed alongside her port side to provide a gangway ashore. Almost immediately a devastating fire caught the crowded boats and within a few minutes terrible losses had been inflicted, men trying to escape jumped into the water and a large amount drowned due to their heavy equipment. After very many men were lost and with supporting gunfire from three British battleships 19 Hampshires accompanied by Dublin's and Munsters dashed into Sedd el Bahr fort and took up positions on the north face. This prevented the Turks from counter attacking on that side and allowed the rest of the troops on the SS River Clyde to come ashore.
    If Albert was in W or X Company then they presumably arrived after this action.
  9. [S189] 2nd Battalion The Hampshire Regiment WW1.
  10. [S169] 1914-1920 British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards.
    Cooksey, Albert E., Hampshire R, L/C 19874, Theatre of War: 2B, Address: 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, S.W.
  11. [S191] Ancestry.com. England, Marriages & Banns 1754-1921 London (ancestry.co.uk : accessed 22 March 2014). Original data: St Saviour, Battersea Park, Register of Marriages, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. Ref. P70/SAV, Item 021. Record of marriage of Albert Edward Cooksey and Florence Beatrice Clarkson on 19 August 1917. [M0010].
    1917, Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of St Saviour's Battersea Park in the County of London, August 19th 1917, Albert Edward Cooksey, 24, Bachelor, Tailor, 60 Kilton St., s. of George Philip Cooksey, Painter, Florence Beatrice Clarkson, 20, Spinster, 60 Kilton St., d. of Leonard Benson Clarkson, Storekeeper, in the presence of Leonard Benson, Ellen Florence Cooksey.
  12. [S165] Ancestry.com. Marriage Index, 1916-2005 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 22 March 2014). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of marriages. [GROINDXM].
    Cooksey, Albert E., Clarkson, Florence B., Wandsworth, Volume 1d, Page 925.
  13. [S156] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Battersea, published 1918, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/1551. [LONELR].
    Page 360. No. 263. Cooksey, Albert Edward, 44 Cabul Road, Battersea Park Rd., S.W.11., R, O.
  14. [S192] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Battersea, published Autumn 1921, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/1683. [LONELR].
    Page 101. No. 2648, R, O, Cooksey, Albert Edward, 146 Robertson Street, S.W.8.
  15. [S193] Ancestry.com. London England Electoral Registers 1832-1965 (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 March 2014). Original data: Electoral Registers, Electoral Register for Battersea, published Autumn 1925, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. LCC/PER/B/1804. [LONELR].
    Page 95. No 2789. R, O, Cooksey, Albert Edward, 146 Robertson Street, S.W.8.
  16. [S166] Ancestry.com. Death Index, 1916-2007 England & Wales (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 March 2013). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of deaths. [GROINDXD].
    1925, Dec Q, age 32, Wandsworth, Volume 1d, Page 582.