Pte 26050 Albert George Alexander Bellamy

Albert George Alexander Bellamy was born on 17th March 1895 at 11 Fletcher Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, to Edward Henry Bellamy, and his Ireland born wife Sarah Jane (née Nixon) who were married on the 21st February 1882 at the Linenhall Presbyterian Church, Belfast. They had eight children. Albert was baptised on 22nd May 1895 at St. James's C.of E. Church, Toxteth. 

 

The April 1901 Census shows him aged 6 living with his parents and siblings at a new address: 18 Tynwald Street, Toxteth Park. His father, Edward H., is aged 41, mother Sarah J. is aged 37 and his siblings, all born in Liverpool are shown as; Robert J. aged 15, Sarah F. 13, Herbert 11, Jessie 8 and Emma G. 3.     

In December 1907, Albert's father Edward, died aged 46, at 71 Fairview Place, Toxteth Park and was buried at Toxteth Park Cemetery on 22nd December 1907.   

The April 1911 Census shows his widowed Mother (age not known) b.County Tyrone, and older sister Jessie aged 18 both working as Chambermaids at the Mount Hotel in Fleetwood.  

Albert aged 16 is a Bugler and Crew member aboard Mersey Ferry the Harrington moored in Coburg Dock, Toxteth.  

He appears on several crew lists in 1913 as an assistant steward aboard the Yeoward Line “Avocet”, often on the Canary Island route. 

Prior to the war he was employed by Yeoward Brothers fruit merchants and shipping line of 27 - 29 Stanley Street, Liverpool. 

On 23 March 1915 Albert enlisted as Private 26050 joining the 18th (Pals) Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. 

He stayed at the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall until 30th April 1915 when 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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915. 

On 01st July 1916 aged 21 he was killed in action during the attack upon the village of Montauban, France his body was either not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost.

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.

Albert's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.

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 01^st 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.”

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 07th August 1916. 

KILLED. 

King’s(Liverpool Regiment) - Bellamy, 25050, A. (Liverpool); 

His mother Sarah claimed his dependents pension. His Army pay arrears of £2:13s:7d was also paid to his mother on 17th November 1916 followed by a War Gratuity of £5 on 12th February 1920.

Albert earned his three medals. 

His mother Sarah claimed his dependents pension of ten shillings per week. His Army pay arrears of £2:13s:7d was also paid to his mother on 17th November 1916 followed by a War Gratuity of £5 on 12th February 1920. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Evening Express on Saturday 16 March 1918; 

ROLL HONOUR  

BELLAMY— In loving 23rd birthday remembrance of Albert George Alexander Bellamy K.L.R. Pals, killed in action, July 1, 1916. (Deeply regretted by his brother Herbert and sister-in-law Nellie.)   

In October 1918 Albert's two younger sisters aged 18 & 20 died at home at 63 Greig Street Toxteth within a week of each other. Probably as a result of the Spanish Flu pandemic then sweeping the world. 

His mother, sisters and brothers paid tribute to Emma, Nora and Albert in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 25 October 1919; 

BELLAMY —ln sad but cherished remembrance of my darling daughters, Emma Bellamy, aged 20 years, who died Oct 22, 1918; also Nora. aged 17 years, who died Nov. 1, 1918; also my dear son, Albert, killed July 1, 1916, 18th Pals. (Too dearly loved to ever forgotten by mother, sisters, and brothers, 63, Greig street.)  

So young, so fair, so loving,  

Yet called away too soon.  

(Sadly missed by Florrie and Jim) 

On the 1921 Census taken on the 19th June at 63 Grieg Street, his mother Sarah is aged 62 years and 3 months (born about March 1859). She has a married couple boarding with her. 

His Mother died aged estimated 100 in 1959 and was buried on the 21st October 1959 at Toxteth Cemetery. 

CWGC records Albert as the son of Mrs. Sarah Bellamy, of 63 Greig Street., Dingle, Liverpool.

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