Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Crates, a shoe trade clicker, born 1859 in Stafford and his wife Mary Crates (nee Godwin, married in the 4th quarter of 1880 in the Leicester district), a shoe trade machinist, born 1860 in Liverpool, Lancashire. Albert Crates, a schoolboy was born on the 27th August 1887 in Leicester, his siblings were, William Henry, a schoolboy, born 1883, Annie, a schoolgirl, born 1885 and Edward, born 1889, all his siblings were born in Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at 104, Ridley Street, Leicester. In the 3rd quarter of 1894 in the Leicester district, Albert’s mother died aged 35. In the 3rd quarter of 1895 Albert’s father married Jane Godwin in the Leicester district. In March 1901 Albert was employed as a shoe trade clicker and was residing in the family home at 57, Ridley Street, Leicester, together with his father, a shoe trade clicker, his stepmother Jane Crates, born 1876 in Stafford, and siblings, William, a shoe trade finisher, Annie, a shoe trade machinist, Edward, a dray boy, Gertrude, born 1893, and his half blood siblings, Mary, born 1895, Ethel, born 1896 and Horace, born 1901, the latter four siblings were all born in Leicester. In April 1911 Albert was absent from the family home at 57, Ridley Street, Leicester, residing there was his father, and boot and shoe trade clicker his stepmother, and sibling, Gertrude, a hosiery trade linker and half blood siblings, Ethel, a hosiery trade runner on, Horace, Mary, a hosiery trade counter worker and May, born 1905 in Leicester, Albert was serving as a Private with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, stationed in Aldershot, Hampshire.
Albert attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement of 5 years with the Colours and 7 years in the Reserve on the 21st November 1906 in Leicester. He gave his place of birth as Leicester, his age as 18 years and 8 months and his trade or calling as shoe hand. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his father Harry Crates, his older brother William Henry, younger brothers, Horace and Edward, his sisters, Annie, Gertrude, Mary, Ethel and May all of 57, Ridley Street, Leicester as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 7¾ inches in height, weighed 120 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 32½ and 34½ inches. His complexion was described as fresh, his hair colour was brown and he had brown eyes. It was noted that he had three dots on his left arm and one dot on his right arm. His physical development was described as good. He gave his religion as Church of England. He was pronounced fit for the Army on the 21st November 1906 in Leicester. A follow up medical examination after six months service and a gymnastics course recorded his height as 5 foot 7¾ inches, his weight as 137 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 33¾ and 34 inches. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 8044 on the 21/11/06. Posted to Shorncliffe on the 21/11/06. Awarded the 3rd Class Army Certificate of Education on the 4/2/07. Awarded the 2nd Class Army Certificate of Education on the ?/?/07. Qualified as a Mounted Infantryman on the 3/9/09. Posted to Aldershot on the 5/1/10. Posted to -?- on the 28/9/12. Transferred to 1st Class Army Reserve on the 20/11/13. Mobilised on the 4th August 1914. Embarked with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 8/9/14. Landed at St. Nazaire on the 10/9/14. Killed in action on the 25/4/16. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 21/11/06 – 8/9/14, 7 years 292 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 9/9/14 – 25/4/16, 1 year 229 days. Total service, 9 years 156 days. Albert was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Albert’s father Henry Crates on the 22nd May 1919, and was witnessed and signed by William H. Lowe, Magistrate, 18, Harrow Road, Leicester on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, Henry Crates of 57, Ridley Street, Leicester. Full blood brothers of soldier, Henry Crates, age 36 of 78, Tyndale Street, Leicester. Edward Crates, age 30 of 57, Ridley Street, Leicester. Half blood brother of soldier, Horace Crates, age 18 of 57, Ridley Street, Leicester. Full blood sisters of soldier, Annie Gascoigne, age 34 of 16, Buckingham Street, Leicester. Gertrude Benson, age 26 of 68, Ridley Street, Leicester. Half blood sisters of soldier, Mary Pepper, age 24 of 57, Ridley Street, Leicester. Ethel Crates, age 23 of 16, Buckingham Street, Leicester. May Crates, age 15 of 57, Ridley Street, Leicester. Albert’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 25-26 Apr-16 - Enemy worked very hard on his front line and on saps 9, 10 and 11, using trollies on trench railways to bring up material to the front, and dumping iron stakes (?) near saps. The truck being apparently sent back full of earth. Much talking and cordiality a very large working party employed. Artillery fired on sap 9 once or twice but did not appear to stop their work very much. Other rank casualties for 25th April, “A” Company, 1 man wounded, “B” Company, 2 men killed, 3 wounded, “C” Company, 3 men wounded, “D” Company, 1 man wounded.
On Friday May 12th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – ANOTHER HOLWELL WORKS EMPLOYEE KILLED. News was received on Friday last that Pte. Albert Crates of the Leicesters, had been killed in action. The deceased who was a native of Leicester, and a member of the Holwell Works Football Club, had been in the employ of the Holwell Iron Company for two years, and lived with Mr. and Mrs. Winfield, Asfordby Hill. He was called up on his 27th birthday, the 4th of August, 1914, and had been at the front since that date. Deceased was home on furlough in September last, and had been wounded once since. From the official notification, it appears he was killed instantaneously on the 27th April.