L/Cpl 16527 Albert Walter Jermy

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16527 L/Corporal Albert Walter JERMY, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Albert (known as "Bert") Walter Jermy was born in Everton, Liverpool on 27th January 1890, the son of Joseph Jermy, and his wife Eliza (née Davis) who were married on the 07th January 1866 at St Peter's Church, Bethnal Green. Joseph was an upholsterer of 168 Hackney Road, father James, whilst Eliza was of 58 Pollard Row, father Abraham.  

The 1891 Census shows Albert aged 1 living with his parents and 6 elder siblings at 11 Landseer Road, Everton, Liverpool. His father, Joseph, is a 43 year old upholsterer born in Bethnal Green, London, whilst his mother, Eliza, is a 45 year old who was born in Hackney, London. His siblings are shown as; Joseph aged 24 an upholsterer born at Bethnal Green, Eliza aged 22 and a milliner born at Old Ford, London, Sarah aged 18 born at Haggerston, London,  while Alfred 17, Ernest 15   and Sidney 13 were all born in Hackney. 

By 1901 the family have moved to 7 Fitzclarence Street, Everton, Liverpool. Albert is 11 years old and lives with both parents, father Joseph aged 53, an upholsterer, mother Eliza aged 55 and his sister Eliza a 32 year old milliner. Also present is 24 year old widow Alice M Jermy described as sister in law. 

His father died, aged 62, in the December quarter of 1909. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

On 18^th October 1915 he was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid) and embarked for France on 06th November 1915, qualifying as a machine gunner.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

In the Liverpool Echo on 21st August 1916 his mother placed a notice:

JERMY - Mrs Jermy and family wish to thank all their kind friends for expressions of sympathy in their recent sad bereavement - 7 Fitzclarence Street.

His family placed a remembrance notice in the Liverpool Echo 16th July 1917

JERMY - In loving remembrance of the Lance Corporal Albert Walter Jermy (2nd Pals), killed in action, July 1, 1916. (Never forgotten by Mother, Sisters and Brother.)

They also placed a remembrance notice again in the Liverpool Echo 2nd July 1918

JERMY - In loving remembrance of the BERT (Lance Corporal 2nd Pals), killed in action, July 1, 1916. - Ever remembered by Mother, Sisters and Brother.

Soldiers Effects, Army pay of £3 7s 3d, £8 War Gratuity and Pension of 10/- pw to mother Eliza.  

Bert is also commemorated on the following war memorials:

St Augustine’s Church and is now preserved in the church of St George, Heyworth Street, Everton, Liverpool.

Christ Church Kensington, Liverpool now situated in Kensington Library

Liverpool Collegiate School 

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 60 Right 

As of May 1919 his surviving siblings were Joseph aged 52, Eliza aged 50 and Sarah aged 46. 

His mother left the Liverpool Electoral Roll in 1923, she went back to London and died, aged 91, in the June quarter of 1938, her death recorded in Stepney. 

Grateful thanks are extended to Simon Jervis for his kind permission to use the photograph of Albert which is now on the site.  

We currently have no further information on Albert Walter Jermy, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.