Albert Edward White

Albert Edward White was born in 1891 at Nottingham and was the son of Samuel a house painter and his first wife Ann Hemsley of 6 Thurlow Street, Old Basford, Nottingham. His father Samuel was born in 1852 at Nottingham and his mother Ann Hemsley was born in 1850 at Basford , she died in 1909 at Basford aged 57 yrs, they were married on 14th August 1871 at Radford and went on to have 9 children, sadly 4 were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were, George Samuel b1877 Basford, John Frederick b1879, Basford, Florrie Annie b1881 Basford, Florence Gertrude b1886 Nottingham and Albert Edward b1891 Nottingham In the 1911 census the family are living at 6 Thurlow Street, Old Basford, Nottingham and are shown as Samuel 59 yrs a widow and a house painter, he is living with his children, F.J. 27 yrs a coal miner, A.E. 19 yrs a coal miner , also living with them is Mary Mellors 57 yrs born 1854 Nottingham, a sister in law. His father Samuel went on to remarry Mary Smith on 12th October 1912 at St Leodegarius Church, Basford. Albert Edward emigrated to Australia arriving at Melbourne on 5th January 1912 and got a job in mining at Buri Buri and took up residence at Broken Hill, New South Wales

He was a coal miner

Private Albert White, had enlisted on 4th May 1915 at Liverpool , New South Wales, Australia, he gave his age as 23 yrs and 9months, his occupation as that of a labourer and his next of kin as his father, Samuel White 32 Cheltenham Street, Old Basford, Nottingham he joined 13th Battalion, A.I.F., he embarked upon HMAT Wandilla, at Sydney and landed on the Gallipoli peninsula on 2nd August 1915. He along with many others fell ill suffering from enteric fever at Anzac and was evacuated, to Mudros and then back to England aboard the HS Aquitania on 25th November 1915. he was admitted to the County of London War Hospital at Epsom on 4th December 1915. After his recovery he was posted to the Western Front arriving in France on 25th July 1916. He was wounded in action, shrapnel wounds to right forearm and thigh on 8th February 1917 and admitted to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station. He died from his wounds on 11th February 1917 and is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.

Obituary published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 11th February 1918 reads:- “WHITE. – In loving memory of our dear brother, Pte. Albert White, Australian Infantry Brigade, late of 6, Thurlow Street, Old Basford, died of wounds February 11th, 1917, aged 24 years. Sleep on dear brother, and take thy rest, those who miss you most loved you best. – From Fred, Florrie and Gerty.” Above obituary courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918