COCKBILL Albert James

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral under Grafton Flyford casualties.

Albert Cockbill was born in 1885, one of 9 children of William and Ellen Cockbill having 4 brothers and 4 sisters. He married Martha Annie Bullock in Worcester on 18th July 1911 and the couple had 3 children – Albert John born on 18th December 1911 in Kings Norton, Dennis George born on 12th March 1913 in Pershore and Raymond Arthur born on 31st January 1915 in Worcester.

Albert enlisted as a Private in the Derbyshire Regiment for a period of 3 years with 9 years in Reserve in Birmingham on 18th August 1902. On his attestation paper he stated he was born in Grafton Flyford near Worcester and he gave his age as 17 years and 5 months. At the time of his enlistment he was serving in the Militia with the 5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Albert was 5 feet 4½ inches tall with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was re-engaged as a Sergeant in the Sherwood Foresters at Fleetwood on 6th January 1914 to complete a total of 21 years Army Service. He was promoted to Colour Sergeant on 26th October 1914, Colour Sergeant Major on 11th December 1914, Acting Regimental Sergeant Major on 6th March 1915 reverting to the rank of Colour Sergeant Major on 13th April 1915. Albert disembarked on 4th November 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force and he was killed in action on 9th May 1915.

After Albert’s death his widow, Martha Annie was awarded a pension of twenty two shillings and sixpence a week for herself and the couple’s three children with effect from 29th November 1915.

Albert Cockbill has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Ploegsteert Memorial.