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Albert Hallworth. Died 31 July 1917
Albert was born in 1898 in Heckfield , the eldest child of Ruth and William Henry Hallworth. In 1901 the family lived in Waterloo Road and William was a coachman and groom. In 1911 they still lived at number 4 Waterloo Road, Albert was 13 and at school and he had a young brother, George and 2 young sisters, Jessie and Louisa.
Albert enlisted in Wokingham into the 1st battalion, Welsh Guards ( number 3236). The following is an account of the action in which Albert was killed on 31st July 1917:
‘The 1st Battalion Welsh Guards took over trenches near Boesinghe Chateau between 15-19 July 1917, just south of the Ypres canal. From then until the 29th the men were based at Forest Area near Woesten, but provided frequent fatigue parties carrying materials up to the front in anticipation of the opening of the Third Battle of Ypres.
On 29 July the battalion returned to the lines, but as these had been advanced across the canal two days earlier their trenches were now “Baboon Support”, with “Baboon Trench” as a second line behind them. Two companies took up battle positions across the canal on the night of 30 July. The first wave’s objective would be on the far side of “Wood 15”, followed by the second and third waves who were to advance to a point in front of Peuplieres Farm. Other Guards battalions were scheduled to pass through them and continue to beyond Fourche Farm. French troops would likewise advance on the unit’s left flank.
It was a dark and wet morning, the artillery having spent the night aiming to knock out enemy batteries with gas shells. At 3:50am the main barrage against German positions commenced, but the Guards Division’s own barrage was timed for 4:24am, just 200 yards in front of the First Wave of men, who moved to within 50 yards of the explosive curtain. The shellfire crept forward at a steady 25 yards per minute, the troops following, until at Wood 15 they encountered resistance from enemy machine-guns in a solid concrete bunker.
The barrage moved away regardless, so the attackers were delayed until Sergeant Bye single-handedly rushed forward and got behind the bunker, then threw grenades in. The attack carried on towards the second objective, but again machine-guns missed by the barrage at Wood 16 on the left flank held up the attackers until Sgt. Bye once again silenced the bunker. He killed or captured over 70 of the enemy that day and received the Victoria Cross.
The other troops took over from the Welsh Guards, and continued the advance as planned. The battalion meanwhile made its Headquarters at Sauvage Farm on the southern edge of Wood 15, and began to dig in and lay down barbed wire to consolidate their gains. By 3pm the battalion was relieved and went back across the canal to Elverdinghe. It had suffered a total of 3 officers and 135 Other Ranks casualties in this operation’.
Albert’s body was not recovered and his name appears on the Menin Gate in Ypres.
Private A. Hallworth, Rose Street, Wokingham, killed in action, July 31, aged 20. Before joining up last October he assisted his father in his business as baker and corn factor. Also: Private H.W. Day, 6 Queen’s Terrace, Wokingham, Grenadier Guards, is reported as having been killed in action on July 31. He was 23 years of age. An officer, writing to his parents says-“Your son was excellent, brave and frequently cheering his comrades on until he fell. He carried out his duty in every way.” Before joining the Colours two years ago he was employed at the Wokingham Saw Mills. Two more brothers are now serving on the Western Front. These two men were well known to each other, and were together but a short time before both meeting their fate on the same day.
If you would like to know more about the Hallworth family tree you can go to this page.
“My Great Nan was Albert’s youngest sister Louise, who lived on Nine Mile Ride Finchampstead until she died in 1982. The story I remember being told of Albert, is when on leave he didn’t want to return to the horrors of the front and when meant to return, instead dug the vegetable patch in the garden. They came to find him and he was imprisoned in Wokingham jail. His Mother took Sunday lunch on a tray and at first wasn’t allowed in, but I’m told she wasn’t a woman to be crossed with! He told her he wouldn’t be returning…..his family were devastated especially my Nan.”
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