Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Herbert and Elizabeth Essex. Albert was employed as a miner at Ellistown Colliery before enlisting. He was killed near to Polygon Wood when a shell burst a few feet from him. The War Diary for today records. Intermittent shelling during the day. 5.20pm. Enemy put down a heavy barrage which lasted till 7.00pm. No attack followed. Our casualties were not heavy. 9.00pm. We were relieved by the 1st ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday October 26th, 1917

LOCAL CASUALTIES

Private Albert Essex of the Leicestershire Regiment, elder son of Mr and Mrs Albert Essex, of 28, James Street, Coalville, has been killed in action. The official notice states that he fell on October 7th. He was 20 years of age and had been in the Army nearly three years before which he worked at Ellistown Colliery. He was over on leave a few weeks ago. His father is employed at the Snibston pit.

Coalville Times article - Friday November 2nd, 1917

In reference to the death of Pte. A. Essex, of the Leicestershire Regiment, whose death we briefly recorded last week, his parents, Mr and Mrs A. Essex, of 28, James Street, Coalville have since received the following letter from an officer: “I deeply regret to have to announce to you the death in action of your son, Pte. A. Essex, which occurred on Sunday evening, October 7th. A shell burst only a few yards away from him, and he died immediately. I had not known your son very long, but he seemed to be proving himself an excellent soldier and I know he will be greatly missed by all. I can only add that I am very sorry indeed to lose him and ask you to accept my sincerest sympathy in your bereavement.”

THANKS

Mr and Mrs A. Essex and family, desire to tender their sincere thanks to all friends for the kind expressions of sympathy extended to them on the occasion of their bereavement by the death of their son and brother, Pte. A. Essex, killed in action on October 7th.

28 James Street, Coalville.

Coalville Times article - Friday October 4th, 1918

IN MEMORIAM

In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. A. Essex, No. 240940, 6th Leicesters, killed in action October 7th, 1917.

“No one knows how much we miss him;
Some may think the wound is healed.
Little do they know the sorrow,
Deep within our hearts concealed.”

From his loving Father, Mother, Brothers and Sisters
Coalville.

Coalville Times article - Friday February 14th, 1919

PROPOSED MEMORIAL AND THANKSGIVING FUND

Meetings are being held throughout the Ashby Wesleyan Circuit, to consider the inauguration of a war memorial and thanksgiving fund, and there was a gathering for this purpose in the Coalville Wesleyan Chapel on Saturday night, when Mr C. H. March presided over a fairly good attendance.

The details of the scheme are set forth in a circular which is being issued, and of which the following is a copy.

“To celebrate the end of the ‘great war’ and the coming of ‘peace’ the quarterly meeting of the Circuit decided by a unanimous vote to inaugurate a great ‘Memorial and Thanksgiving Fund.’ The nation in the hours of danger has not counted any sacrifice of blood or treasure too great to hasten the time when all that we hold dear should be made secure from an unscrupulous foe. That end has been achieved. The victory is ours. In token of our gratitude to Almighty God, we desire to raise this ‘Memorial and Thanksgiving Fund’ to enable the churches in this Circuit more efficiently to carry on, and extend the Kingdom of God. We suggest that contributions may be given as a thank-offering for loved ones spared, or in memory of dear ones who have laid down their lives for us. There are also large numbers in the Circuit, who, because of the importance of their work, have escaped the horrors of the battlefield, and will be able to give substantially in thankful recognition of their privileges. Everyone, indeed, has received great blessing through the ministry of our church, and the debt we owe to our beloved Methodism is greater than we can tell. Therefore, we earnestly appeal to all our people to give hearty and generous support to the ‘Memorial and Thanksgiving Fund’. The first claim upon the income of the fund will be the clearing of the debt upon the Circuit houses, which amounts to £1,000, thus saving £44 per year in interest. The remainder of the income will be held at the disposal of the Circuit quarterly meeting for the benefit of the work of God in the Circuit. – William Hooper, William H. Wardle, B.A., and William Solomon (ministers), J. P. Adcock, J. P. (treasurer); W. J. Plowright and C. H. March (secretaries).”

During the meeting, Mr T. Frith read the Roll of Honour, which contained 99 names formerly connected with the church and Sunday School. Two have won the D.C.M. – Harry Beard and Edwin Collier – and four the Military Medal, these being Tom Palmer, Tom Wood, George Wildgoose and Walter Lewis.

Twenty had made the supreme sacrifice – Cecil A. Bradshaw, Ernest Batho, Geo. Beale, Sydney Dodds, Walter Fantom, John Hall, Horace Hall, Jess Jones, Wilfred Jones, Fred Hart, Arthur Johnson, Walter Lewis, M.M., Harry Lewis, William Setchell, Sam Smith, Tom Usherwood, Willie Wells, Alf Wood, Albert Essex and Tom Wild.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 24/12/2017