Aged 22
No. 16121, Private, 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment
Killed in Action on Saturday, 1st July 1916
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Bertie ALMOND was born Q1-1894 [Newmarket 3b:520] in Newmarket to Mark and Ellen Maria ALMOND (née TAYLOR). 1901 census...At Myrtle Cottages, Exeter Road, Newmarket were Bertie [7] with his father Mark [39], a stableman, born Darwen, Lancs; his mother Ellen [37] born Chippenham, Cambs; brother George [18] a groom, and sisters Cissy [17]; Kate [15]; Daisy [11]; Maud [9] and Olive [3] and a lodger. All the children were born in Newmarket. 1911 census...At Rupert Cottage, High Street, Newmarket, were Bertie [17] a cellarman; his parents; sisters Daisy [21] a telephone operator; Maude 17],a dressmaker; Olive [11], and new brother, Sidney [10] born Newmarket The pension card has the family still at Rupert House at least until 1919. |
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Bertie enlisted in Chelmsford and was killed on the very first day of the Somme offensive. His battalion, part of the 18th (Eastern) Division,
moved forward from Carnoy at 7:30 am and took the village of Montauban. It was the bloodiest day in British military history. More men were
killed on that day, Saturday 1st July 1916, than on any other day in British history: 57,470 soldiers were casualties, of which 19,240 were
dead. 10th Essex lost at least 27 men that day and they were among the more successful in the attack, reaching Pommiers trench by late
evening and being ordered to hold to the last man. The Essex regiment had 221 killed, 27 from Bert's battalion of which 16 have no known grave |
Bert was originally found here
photo: Roy Beardsworth
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details