Albert Bradford
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Albert was the eldest child of Henry and Mary Ann Bradford(née Nurden). His father Henry was born at Oakthorpe in February 1869, the son of James and Mary Bradford. His mother Mary Ann was born in Lighthorne, Warwickshire, in 1868 (bap. Lighthorne November 1868), the daughter of William and Mary Nurden. Mary, a tailoress, and her family were living in Oakthorpe by 1891. Henry and Mary Ann were married at Donisthorpe St John in April 1892 (reg. Ashby de la Zouch); both were resident in the parish of Oakthorpe & Donisthorpe. They had ten children, one of whom died young. All the children were born in Oakthorpe: Albert b. 1893, Henry Nurden b. 1894 d. 1909, Adelaide Sarah b. 1896, James William b. 1898, Thomas birth registered 1904 (J/F/M), Maud Mary birth registered 1902 (J/F/M), Nellie birth registered 1904 (J/F/M), Richard b. 1905, Edith b. 1907 and Evelyn Nurden b. 1909. Henry, a coal miner, and Mary were living at Ginstable Row, Oakthorpe, in 1901 with their five children: Albert, Henry Nurden, Adelaide, James and Thomas. Also in the household was Mary's widowed mother, Mary Nurden. The second son, Henry Nurden, died eight years later in April 1909 aged about 14 and was buried in Donsithorne Cemetery. Henry snr. and his son Albert, both working as coal miner contractor loaders, were recorded on the 1911 Census at Edward Street, Kirkby in Ashfield, visitors in the home of Henry's uncle, Reuben Bradford. Mary Ann and the eight younger children were still living at Ginstable in Oakthorpe but they too later moved to Kirkby in Ashfield. The CWGC record gave Henry and Mary Ann's address as 63 Vernon Road, Kirkby in Ashfield. Mary Ann died in 1926 and in 1939 when the England and Wales Register was compiled her husband Henry was living in Kirkby in Ashfield with his married daughter, Edith Fownes (m. 1937 Joseph B Fownes). Henry probably died in 1952.
1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regimet. Albert Bradford served initially in the Leicestershire Regiment (12915). He embarked for the BEF France on 29 July 1915, possibly while serving with the Leicestershire Regiment. Albert was killed in action on 26 October 1917; he was initially reported missing in action. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Awarded the Military Medal and Bar. Bar gazetted December 1917. Qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Tyne Cot Memorial (extract): the Memorial is in Tyne Cot Cemetery, 9km from the town of Ieper (Ypres) and is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders in an area known as the Ypres Salient. 'The Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge. The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 ... and the the attack forced an Allied withdrawal and a shortening of the line of defence. There was little more significant activity on this front until 1917, when in the Third Battle of Ypres an offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The initial attempt in June to dislodge the Germans from the Messines Ridge was a complete success, but the main assault north-eastward, which began at the end of July, quickly became a dogged struggle against determined opposition and the rapidly deteriorating weather. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele.' (www.cwgc.org)
Albert's youngest brother, Evelyn Nurden, served with the 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters in the Second World War (4973158 Sergeant). He served in Palestine (Western Desert, Middle East), was captured on 6 June 1942 but escaped via Switzerland in 1943 (interviewed Switzerland 18 December 1943). London Gazette, 26 July 1945, Mentioned in Dispatches: 'Honours and Meritorious Service Awards-Escape and Evasion and Special Operations'. CWGC additional information: 'Son of Henry and Mary Ann Bradford, of 63, Vernon Rd., Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts.' Mansfield Reporter, 14 December 1917: ‘Local Casualties. Missing Lance-Cpl A Bradford, 32511, Kirkby.’ Mansfield Reporter, 21 December 1917: ‘For Bravery. The following local recipients of decorations appear in a long list of honours in recognition of bravery in the field, published in Tuesday’s ‘London Gazette.’ Bar to Military Medal. 32511 Pte A Bradford, South Staffordshire Regt. (Kirkby in Ashfield). Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his father Henry was his legatee. WW1 Pension Ledgers: named his parents Henry and Mary Ann Bradford, residence Kirkby in Ashfield.
