In 1914, Albert joined the 55th South Lancashire Regiment - 1st Battalion C Company 11th Platoon - and was posted to France in 1915, where he served as a Private with the 1st Battalion Warrington Regiment of Infantry. He was awarded the Military Medal on for bravery as a Stretcher Bearer at Givenchy, risking his life on six occasions to rescue wounded comrades.
After the war, Albert became a pawnbroker initially in Warrington and then managing a shop in Manchester. In 1922, Albert married to CarolineWoodhead, who was born on 12th December 1896 and they spent their married life in Salford, with their only child Dorothy (my mother), who was born in 1923. During the Second World War, Albert was an Air-Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden. He died in 1962 aged 64. His life was shortened due to gassing in WW1
Albert’s Poem:
Albert wrote several pages of verse describing various members of his Platoon. The poem is rather long, so I have just included one or two verses for now:
“Verses on 11th Platoon C Company South Lancs Regiment” composed by Private A. Troman
Our Commander is Lieutenant Mr Hale,
A man with such courage can’t fail,
And when put to the test
He always acts for the best
And he’s true to his word is Mr Hale.
Now we get (bombing) Seargent Clever
Ver handy with the “pin” and the “lever,”
When the boys are at work,
You can bet they won’t shirk,
If they’re anywhere near Sergeant Clever.
Next we get Corporal Homer,
I can’t say he’s much of a roamer,
But to give him his due,
There are Corporals few
Who will work like Corporal Homer.
….
Now I hope all those mentioned here,
Will take all in very good cheer,
And that before very long,
We’ll go home well and strong
With A. Trowman (S.B.) in the rear.
With thanks to Laurence Manton for sending me the link to the post by Phil Johnson on https://www.facebook.com/groups/lancashireinfantrymuseum/permalink/10156856091924910/
where you can see the entire poem.
