Albert Henry Comery
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the son of George and Emma Comery and the brother of John, William, Bertha, Henry and Edith Comery. The declaration of living relatives completed in 1919 by Edith Dickinson formerly Comery, widow of Albert's brother, William, names another brother, George (15), and three more sisters, Elizabeth Emma (36), Emma Elizabeth (28) and Eleanor (10) See William's record on this Roll of Honour for other details of their siblings. In 1901 the family lived at 98 North Gate, Basford, Nottingham, but later lived at 68 Maud Street, New Basford. Albert's brother William served with the King's Royal Rifle Corps and was killed at Ypres on 26 October 1914 and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Like Albert, William had been a regular soldier, serving in the KRR from 1905 until transferring to the Army Reserve in 1912.
Albert Henry Comery enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters in early 1907 and after training sent to 1st battalion, which was overseas at the time. In August 1914 the battalion was based in India and orders were received to return England and on 3rd September the battalion sailed on what was described as 'a slow boat'. It and they arrived at Plymouth on 2nd October and the families were entrained for their homes, whilst the battalion, still in shorts and 'Indian' helmets, travelled to Romsey by train and then marched to Hursley Camp near Winchester. Intensive training and reorganisation began immediately and on 4 November 1914, the battalion landed in France as part of 24th Brigade, 8th Division. After an arduous winter in the trenches the battalion took part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 10 to 13th March. The battalion successfully took the enemy trenches on 10th March and by 11 am, the village of Neuve Chapelle was taken. The battalion was deployed for a further attack but enemy machine gun fire held them up. They dug trenches to make good the ground taken so far and spent the remainder of the day and through the 11th, despite heavy shelling. They also attempted to attack the enemy but were beaten back by German machine gun fire. Albert was one of 90 other ranks killed during the battle and in total the battalion lost some 25% of its strength. Albert has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial France. John Morse
Nottingham Post notice 7 April 1915: photograph of AH Comery, 68 Maud Street, New Basford, killed in action March 13th ... 'His brother, William, King's Royal Rifles, was killed at Ypres, October 26th.'
