Guardsman A.E. Corps

FIRST NAMES: Albert Edward

UNIT: 3rd Grenadier Guards

NUMBER: 18854

STATUS: Killed in Action

DATE OF DEATH: 1st February 1916

CEMETERY OR MEMORIAL: Rue-du-Bacquerot (13th London) Graveyard, France

AGE: 24

Albert's parents were called John and Elizabeth Corps and they lived at the Black Swan,Water End, Brompton. Before the War he had worked as a Butcher at Williamson's Butchers in Middlesborough.

Albert clearly felt that his skills would be useful in the army and he volunteered, at first, to enter the army as a butcher. Unfortunately, there were no places available at the time and so he chose instead to join the Grenadier Guards - quite a difference !!!

He was killed, aged 24, serving as a machine gunner in the 3rd Grenadier Guards, while they were holding a section of the line known as the Laventie Sector, near Armentieres. He had landed in France in June 1915, since which time he had seen action at Loos, Hulluch and at Hill 60, near Ypres. He had taken part in three attacks during the Battle of Loos, the previous September, but had emerged from them all unscathed.

The following is an exerpt from a letter which was received by Albert's parents, from one of his Officers:

" Corps and Egan were in the dugout and Morton was up at the parapet on duty, whilst Jackson had gone with a message. There are always four men to a gun. We had been shelling the Huns all day (1st February) and about 5 O' Clock they started to reply with very indifferent shooting. One shell, unfortunately, landed right on top of the dugout and killed them both instantaneously..........They were buried in a cemetery where others of this machine gun company are interred and two very nice crosses were erected."

Though faded and difficult to read, Corps & Egan's headstones still lie side by side.