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Albert Horton
No / Rank: 17381 Private
Regiment: Grenadier Guards
Battalion: 2nd
Born: Aberdare, Glam.
Enlisted: Cardiff
Residence:
Date Died: 01.12.17
How Died: Killed in Action
Theatre of War: France and Flanders
Brigade:1st Division:Guards
Commemorated at Cambrai Memorial.
(Battle of Cambrai 20th-November 3rd December 1917)
Died on Saturday 1st December 1917 Aged 31. Son of William Henry, and the late Mary Jane, Horton.
The 1915 Electoral Register lists Henry Horton as living ‘Near White Hart Machen’.
Albert Horton enlisted on 18.08.1914 one week after Lord Kitchener’s famous ‘Call to Arms’, he was one of Kitchener’s first 100,000.
On enlistment he was described as 5’8”, 128 lbs with fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He recorded his occupation as collier and claimed to be 24 years of age, although he was probably older, he gave his home address as ‘Preswlfa’ Machen. After basic training he was posted to the France on 12.01.1915. He served on the Western Front for nearly three years and had been lightly wounded in March 1916.
26.11.1917
“….the Battalion marched to Ribecort in a snow storm and found the only accommodation was the old German lines which was not quite as comfortable as the front line they had just left.
Both blankets and great coats being in store the battalion spent a miserable night”
The next few days were spent in and around Metz en Coutre ; “improving billets which were anything but comfortable, and left in an extremely dirty state by the previous occupants”.
On the 30th November the diary records that at about 7.00 am the Germans began to attack neighbouring positions and that at 10.30 the brigade received orders to advance towards Gouzeaucourt and to clear Metz by 12.30, while about half a mile from Metz a runner reported that;
“the enemy had broken the line and was believed to be through to Gouzeaucourt , the brigade would have to advance immediately until it had met the enemy and would then attack them.”
The front was by this time in total confusion with retreating stragglers and wounded compounding the problems. There was “not the slightest trace of any defending infantry”.
The battalion ‘met’ with the enemy and halted their advance. They were then ordered to counter attack in the direction of Gauche Wood. The plan of attack called for the Grenadier Guards to follow 20 advancing tanks at a distance of 400 yards – in the event the attack began without the assistance of the tanks.
The battalion reached the edge of the wood by 7.00 am to find it “thickly manned with machine guns” the battalion lost most of its Junior Officers to machine gun and sniper fire in taking their objectives. They captured 3 field guns and a ‘great number of machine guns’. The battalion diary records casualties for the day of; Killed in Action 25 N.C.O’s and men, Missing 11 N.C.O’s and men, Wounded 115 N.C.O’s and men. Later the diary goes on to say. “Among these unfortunately were many excellent N.C.O.’s whom it will be hard to replace”.
Message from the Corps Commander III Corps
The Corps Commander wishes to express to all ranks of the Guards Division his highest appreciation of the prompt manner in which they turned out on 30 November counter attacked through a disorganised rabble and re-took Gouzeaucourt. The very fine attack they subsequently carried out against Quentin Ridge and Gauche Wood, resulting in the capture of these important positions was worthy of the highest traditions of the Guards.
Albert Horton has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai memorial, Lourerval, France.
Cambrai memorial where Albert Horton is
commemorated.
Notice of Memorial Service for Albert Horton.
This card was sent by Albert Horton to his sister |
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Albert Horton's BrothersStanley and Ivor both survived the war, although Stanley suffered in later life from the after effect of poison gas |
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Stanley Horton, Grenadier Guards |
Ivor Horton, Royal Field Artillery |
