Pte
Albert Edward Fuller Bassett
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 08/09/1897 |
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Place of birth: Saffron Walden, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Hawker |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 21108 |
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Enlistment place: Saffron Walden, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — East Surrey Regiment, 9th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 03/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Corner House, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Cemetery
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Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery Plot: VII Row: D Grave: 28 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 07/10/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 07/10/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Private Albert Edward Bassett served in the East Surrey Regiment 9th Battalion, part of the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division.
The Battalion participated in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (31 July – 2 August), the opening stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. At 8 p.m. on the 1st of August, HQ along with “C” and “D” Companies moved up to Old French Trench, two miles Southwest of Ypres. This was a preparatory step, as they 9th East Surrey’s were to relieve troops of the 72nd Brigade in the new frontline. The relief was carried out in the night of the 2nd and 3rd of August 1917.
“D” and “C” Companies took over the frontline. “A” Company was in support and “B” Company was in reserve. The weather conditions were abominable, heavy rain was falling for three consecutive days. The communication trenches were flooded. All movement had to go overland, as the communication trenches were over waist-deep in water and liquid mud. In addition, on arrival at the support line and further on the way to the front line, “C” Company got caught in a heavy rain of German shelling, suffering twenty casualties. Relief was completed by 1.30 a.m. on the 3rd of August 1917 and the Battalion would remain in the frontline for five days.
Private Albert Edward Bassett was probably killed in the early hours of the 3rd of August 1917, while going up the frontline near Shrewsbury Forest. It’s highly likely that Private Albert Edward Bassett was mortally wounded, when “C” Company got caught by German shellfire. Private Albert Edward Bassett was buried near Corner House, close to the Battalion’s HQ and near the support line of the East Surrey Regiment 9th Battalion. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery.
The Battalion participated in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (31 July – 2 August), the opening stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. At 8 p.m. on the 1st of August, HQ along with “C” and “D” Companies moved up to Old French Trench, two miles Southwest of Ypres. This was a preparatory step, as they 9th East Surrey’s were to relieve troops of the 72nd Brigade in the new frontline. The relief was carried out in the night of the 2nd and 3rd of August 1917.
“D” and “C” Companies took over the frontline. “A” Company was in support and “B” Company was in reserve. The weather conditions were abominable, heavy rain was falling for three consecutive days. The communication trenches were flooded. All movement had to go overland, as the communication trenches were over waist-deep in water and liquid mud. In addition, on arrival at the support line and further on the way to the front line, “C” Company got caught in a heavy rain of German shelling, suffering twenty casualties. Relief was completed by 1.30 a.m. on the 3rd of August 1917 and the Battalion would remain in the frontline for five days.
Private Albert Edward Bassett was probably killed in the early hours of the 3rd of August 1917, while going up the frontline near Shrewsbury Forest. It’s highly likely that Private Albert Edward Bassett was mortally wounded, when “C” Company got caught by German shellfire. Private Albert Edward Bassett was buried near Corner House, close to the Battalion’s HQ and near the support line of the East Surrey Regiment 9th Battalion. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Duhallow A.D.S. cemetery.
Sources 2
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9 Battalion East Surrey Regiment , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2215/1). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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Pearse H.W. and Sloman H.S., History of the East Surrey Regiment 1917-1919, (London, The Medici Society LTD, 1924), pg. 75-76. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2935661 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=9622030b-733b-441f-b7b0-fe65c192f374 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/232458 |