ALBERT BURRELL (1884 – 1918)

339885 Private Albert Burrell, the Labour Corps died 2 September 1918[1] and is buried in Cockfield Cemetery and commemorated on Cockfield War Memorial.  He was 34 years old.

Family Details:

Albert Burrell was born 1884[2] at Lands Bank the son of Jonathan and Tamar Burrell.  There were at least 5 children all born at Lands Bank:

• John Joseph bc.1870
• Jonathan bc.1874
• Sarah bc.1875
• William bc.1882
• Albert born 1884

In 1891 the Burrell family lived at Lands Bank and Albert’s father Jonathan, brothers John Joseph and Jonathan all worked as coal miners.[3] In 1894, Albert’s father Jonathan was recorded as being a “sinker”. [4]  By 1911, Albert Burrell boarded with George and Mary Hutchinson.  George was a farmer living at Peth Row Farm, Cockfield.  Albert aged 27 worked as a miner (a roadman underground).

Service Record:

Albert Burrell attested 10 September 1914 aged 30 years 4 months and served only 34 days before being discharged as being unfit for service suffering from epilepsy.[5]  He’d previously served with 2/DLI (?) regimental number 6/2465.

He was 5ft 7½” had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair.  He was a Primitive Methodist.  He was recorded as working as a mason, being unmarried and his brother Jonathan of Copley was recorded as his next of kin. [6]

Sometime later he enlisted at Darlington into the Labour Corps being allocated the regimental number 339885.[7]

The Labour Corps were formed in January 1917 and numbered some 389,000 men (more than 10% of the Army) by the end of the war.  Of this total approx. 175,000 were working in Britain and the rest in the various theatres of war.  The Labour Corps as often deployed for work within the range of enemy guns.  In April 1917, a number of infantry battalions were transferred to the Corps.  In the crisis of March and April 1918 on the Western Front, Labour Corps units were used as emergency infantry.  The Corps always suffered from lack of transport, many inexperienced officers and troops of low physical grade. [8]

Albert Burrell’s death was registered at St. Giles, Middlesex, [9] the circumstances of which are unknown.  Private A. Burrell was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. [10]

Burial

Private Albert Burrell is buried in Cockfield Cemetery.

References:

[1] Commonwealth War Graves Commission

[2] England & Wales Birth Index 1837-2015 Vol.10a p.—Auckland 1884 Q2

[3] 1891 census

[4] 1894 Whellan & Co. Directory

[5] Army Form C.348 Memo dated 15 September 1914

[6] Army Form E.502 Territorial Force

[7] Soldiers Died in the Great War

[8] http://www.1914-1918.net/labour.htm

[9] England & Wales Death Index Vol. 1b p.499 1918 Q3

[10] Medal Roll

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