203593 PTE. A. BRIERLEY. L.N.LAN.R.

 

Albert Brierley was born on 17 May 1888 at 78 Chorley Road, Walton Le Dale and baptised at St Leonard’s on 17 June.  His parents were Thomas Brierley (b. 1854 in Walton Le Dale), a labourer in a cotton mill, and later bricklayer’s labourer, and Sarah Ellen Slater (b. 1857 in Preston).  Thomas and Sarah Ellen had married at St Leonard’s on 9 June 1877 and had 11 children, one of whom died in infancy.  The 10 survivors were: James Henry (b. 1877), Selina (b. 1879), Burdett Barratt (b. 1881), Samuel (b. 1883), Mary Elizabeth (b. 1886), then Albert, May (b. 1892), Francis (b. 1893), Lily (b. 1895) and finally Ethel Lavinia (b. 1897).

 

In 1911, Albert was still living with his parents and 8 siblings at 55 Avenue Bank, Chorley Road, Walton Le Dale and at the time working as a manager of a butcher’s and provisions shop.  The following year on 29 May 1912 he married Gladys Redfern (b. 1888 in Bakewell, Derbyshire), and on 6 December 1913, Albert and Gladys had a son, Ronald.  They lived at 118 Victoria Road, Walton Le Dale.

 

Albert signed his attestation form on 9 December 1915 in Walton Le Dale, stating that he preferred to serve in the ASC but he was assigned to 4Bn, L.N.LAN.R. (a reserve battalion) with initial service number 4/7372.  He was 5’ 7” tall and had a 35” chest and weighed 147lbs. He was given the new-style service number 203593 in 1917.  He remained at home in the reserves until he was called up on 7 January 1917 and after further training he was posted to France on 18 April 1917 arriving at Étaples on 19 April and he was posted to 10Bn on 7 May 1917 and joined them in the field two days later.

 

10Bn had recently been engaged in the Battle of Arras, where it had sustained heavy casualties, so by the time Albert joined them they were in fact in what was considered to be a ‘quiet’ sector, near Wytschaete, south of Ypres.  Nevertheless, they were in and out of the line throughout the summer and were always subject to raids, snipers and artillery attacks.  Albert was killed in action on 22 July 1917.  He was 29 years old.

 

Gladys received Albert’s effects including his identity disc, a safety razor and case, 4 letters and a 9ct gold ring, together with money to the value of £1 3s 1d.  At the time she was living at 41 Chorley Road, Walton Le Dale.  She was awarded a pension of 18s 9d per week for herself and her son and she received a war gratuity of £3.  After the War, Gladys returned to her home town and lived at Station Road, Great Longstone, Bakewell, Derbyshire.

 

Rank:  Private

Service No:  203593

Date of Death:  22/07/1917

Age: 29

Regiment/Service:  The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 10th Bn.

Grave Reference: B. 6.

Cemetery:  TORREKEN FARM CEMETERY NO.1

 

Two other men from 10Bn were killed the same day:

33849 PTE. G. F. KING, L.N.LAN.R

201732 PTE. H. WILSON, L.N.LAN.R

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