Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Levi Curtis, a slater, born 1861 in Collyweston, Northamptonshire and his wife Mary Matilda Curtis (nee Howell, married in the 4th quarter of 1886 in the Stamford, Lincolnshire district), born 1st September 1865 in Easton on the Hill, Northamptonshire and was baptised on the 11th February 1866 in the Parish Church, Easton on the Hill. Albert Howell was born on the 29th October 1892 in Easton on the Hill and baptised on the 27th November 1892 in the Parish Church, Easton on the Hill, his siblings were, Harry Reginald, born 28th January 1887 and baptised on the 17th April 1887 in the Parish Church, Easton on the Hill, Horace, born 29th November 1889 and baptised on the 25th December 1889 in the Parish Church, Easton on the Hill, Alice Mary, born 25th September 1895, Ada Winifred, born 4th October 1898 and William Cyril, born 17th March 1901, all his siblings were born in Easton on the Hill, in March 1901 the family home was at Easton on the Hill. In April 1911 Albert was absent from the family home at Stamford Road, Easton on the Hill, residing there was his father, a slater, his mother and siblings, Horace, a student teacher, Alice, a schoolgirl, Ada, a schoolgirl, William, a schoolboy and Phyllis Enid, born 24th July 1905 in Easton on the Hill, Albert was employed as a county council pupil teacher and was residing as a visitor at Stamford Road, Easton on the Hill. His older brothers, Harry Reginald fell in action on the 18th September 1918 in Greece and Horace fell in action on the 7th August 1915 in Gallipoli. His father died on the 23rd October 1936 at Matleigh, Spencefield Lane, Evington, Leicestershire, aged 75 and his mother died on the 17th January 1955 at West Farm, Barrowden, Rutland, aged 90.
Prior to the war Albert held the position of Assistant Master at the Grammar School, Sandwich, Kent. He embarked for France on the 10th July 1916, and within three weeks he was mortally wounded at the Pozieres Ridge by a shell during the Battle of the Somme. It was in this attack that the Royal Fusiliers did some strenuous work. The Germans, who had lost the position, counter-attacked with a strong force, including flammenwerfer, eight of these machines coming forward, with a throng of bombers behind them. A Captain of the Royal Fusiliers, instead of awaiting the attack in a crowded trench, rushed his men in the open, where they shot down the flame bearers before they could bring their devilish squirts to bear. The bombers, who had followed the advance, led the flight. On this day 127 Germans who had been caught in a pocket between the British trenches were forced to surrender, after a very creditable resistance.
Albert’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), being allotted the service number PS/10394, and was posted as a Private to the 28th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, he was subsequently transferred to the 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France in July 1916. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.