Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Samuel Stanford, and agricultural implement fitter, born in the April quarter of 1873 in Loughborough, Leicestershire and baptised on the 4th July 1875 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough (son of James Anthony Stanford, 1850-1927 and Sarah A. Corah, 1852-1932) and his wife Jane Ann Stanford (nee James, married on the 7th March 1896 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough), born 1875 in Loughborough (daughter of John James). Albert was born in in the January quarter of 1899 in St. Peter’s, Loughborough, in March 1901 the family home was at 31, Paget Street, Loughborough. In April 1911 Albert was residing in the family home at 40, Rotten Row, St. Michael’s, Lichfield, Staffordshire, together with his father, an ironmonger’s fitter, his mother and sibling Alice, born in the January quarter of 1902 in Loughborough, also residing with the family was a relative, Nellie Stanford, a mother’s help, born 1885 in Loughborough. Albert also had a sister, Ellen who was born in the July quarter of 1897 in Loughborough and who died in the July quarter of 1898 in Loughborough, aged 1.
Albert’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Loughborough in February 1915.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted. Service number. 17106.
Posted. 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regt. “B” Company. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France 27/5/15.
Killed in action. In the Field. 25/9/15.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 25 Sept-15 - At 5.30 am the Battalion was in positions of readiness in accordance with orders in four lines opposite their objective with bombing parties, sandbag parties and carrying parties all arranged and in position. At 6.00 am the first line got over the parapet quickly followed by the second, the left had to right form to get in line with the right as the trench ran back from a salient near the centre. As the first two lines went out the third and fourth filed into the vacant positions in the firing line. The gas affected a number of our men, and the smoke caused a dense fog and direction was difficult. Casualties began at once and the third line was ordered out to fill up gaps. Owing to the thick smoke it seemed likely that gaps would occur on the flanks and at 6.07 am the fourth line was sent out with special instructions to maintain touch with the units on either flank. At about 6.10 am the left were over the German parapet and our flag was seen flying on their lines. The left went forward with such dash that they outstripped the 2/8th GURKHAS and came in for a lot of fire from rifles and maxim guns from our right. This caused a good many casualties including all the officers and most of the NCOs of “A” Company which was the extreme left. Undeterred the men went on, got over the uncut wire and reached the road with parties of the 2/8th GURKHAS and gained their objective. In the meantime, our right had not fared so well. They went forward in good line under a heavy fire till held up by the German wire. A number of our men here were collected in the ditch in front of the German wire waiting for developments. Officer casualties. Killed Captain F. H. ROMILLY D.S.O., Captain E. C. DEANE, R.A.M.C. Died of wounds 2nd Lieutenant M. W. BROWNE. Wounded Lieutenant Colonel H. GORDON D.S.O., Captain W. C. WILSON, Lieutenant H. H. PHILLIPS, 2nd Lieutenant G. W. TANNER, 2nd Lieutenant H. H. HEMPHILL, 2nd Lieutenant V. E. ELLINGHAM, 2nd Lieutenant C. C. BAILEY, 2nd Lieutenant G. W. GROSSMITH. Slightly wounded Major F. LEWIS, Captain D. L. WEIR. Gassed 2nd Lieutenant W. WILSON. Missing and believed killed Lieutenant W. T. PICKIN, 2nd Lieutenant R. E. S. LODGE. Missing known to have been wounded 2nd Lieutenant C. G. WOODBOURN. Missing and no trace 2nd Lieutenant W. J. WILKINSON, 2nd Lieutenant E. A. WILKINSON, 2nd Lieutenant T. R. LONGCROFT. Rank and file casualties. Killed 72. Wounded 217. Gassed 42. Missing 96. Wounded slightly but did not quit Battalion 3. What was left of the Battalion were relieved from the front line by the 2/39th GARWHAL RIFLES at 6.30 pm and moved into support and local reserve just in rear. Before the operations began the Battalion worked for a week in strengthening the front line and preparing the defences behind. Four very strong lines were constructed capable of resisting the
enemy’s bombardment.
On Friday, November 12th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. - THE ROLL OF HONOUR. – Mr. and Mrs. S. Stanford, of Grange-street, Loughborough, have received the news that their only son, Private ALBERT STANFORD, of the 2nd Leicestershire’s, was killed on September 25. The lad enlisted in February, and had been in France about four months. From unofficial sources his parents heard that he was buried in the wreck of a dug-out, which was blown up by an enemy shell.
On Monday, November 15th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. – FALLEN LEICESTERS. - (A photograph accompanied the article). – Private ALBERT STANFORD, 2nd Leicester’s; home in Grange-street, Loughborough. Killed in action.