Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Fred Sibson, a stone quarry worker, born 24th July 1862 in Rothley, Leicestershire and his wife Rebecca Sibson (nee Vesty, married on the 18th October 1886 in the parish church, Enderby, Leicestershire), born 1870 in Enderby, Leicestershire. Albert James was born in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in Enderby, his siblings were, Elsie Emma, born 1888, Beatrice Bertha, born on the 31st January 1891, George, born 26th August 1895, Walter, born 11th November 1898 and Alfred, born 1901, all his siblings were born in Enderby, in March 1901 the family home was at Conery Lane, Enderby. In April 1911 Albert was employed as a stone carter and was residing in the family home at Conery Lane, Enderby, together with his father, a quarry stone cutter, his mother and siblings, Elsie, a Griswold framework knitter, Beatrice, a Griswold framework knitter, George, a horse driver, Walter, a schoolboy, Alfred, a schoolboy and Cyril, a schoolboy, born 12th February 1905 in Enderby. Albert married Alice Rebecca Whiston on the 14th February1914 in the Registry Office, Leicester, Alice was born on the 29th December 1893 in St. Margaret’s Leicester, they had two children, Albert Edward, born 7th April 1914 and Arthur Hayden, born 18th September 1918, both children were born in Leicester. Albert’s widow married Samuel Goddard in the 3rd quarter of 1924 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district. In 1939 Alice was residing in the family home at 16, Shortridge Lane, Enderby, with her husband Samuel, a stone quarry clerk, born 14th February 1884 and their daughter, Joyce, a shoe factory clerk, born 27th July 1922. In 1939 Albert’s widowed father, a retired road stone worker was residing in the family home at 31, Shortridge Lane, Enderby, together with Albert’s younger brother, George, an artificial stone worker.
Albert attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War.) on the 1st June 1915 in Leicester. He gave his full address as Mill Hill, Enderby, Leicestershire, his age as 21 years and 337 days and his trade or calling as labourer. He confirmed that he was married. He gave his wife Alice Rebecca Sibson of Mill Hill, Enderby, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination took place on the 1st June 1915 in Leicester where his place of birth was given as Enderby, Leicestershire, his apparent age was 21 years and 337 days and it was recorded that he was 5 foot 6½ inches in height, weighed 115 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 31½ and 34½ inches. His physical development was described as good. He gave his religion as Wesleyan. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 23847 on the 1/6/15. Posted to the 1st Garrison (2nd Reserve) Battalion Leicestershire Regiment at Barnard Castle on the 3/7/15. Posted to Rugeley Camp on the 2/11/15. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 8/6/16. Posted to 37th Infantry Brigade Depot, Etaples on the 9/6/16. Posted to the 10th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, on the 9/6/16. Joined the Battalion, in the field on the 30/6/16. Posted to the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 6/1/18. Joined the 9th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the 8/2/18. Posted to the 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 21/2/18. Killed in action, in the field on the 21/3/18. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 1/6/15 – 8/6/16, 1 year 8 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 9/6/16 – 21/3/18, 1 year 286 days. Total service, 2 years 294 days. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. Albert’s widow was awarded a weekly pension for herself and one child of twenty shilling and 5 pence to commence on the 21st October 1918. 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: 17-21-Mar-18 - FRONT LINE, EPEHY. The Battalion moved into the front line on the night of March 17th, relieving the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT. The enemy’s attitude still remained abnormal, and prisoners obtained by means of raids gave the date for the attack as the 21st or 22nd. Hostile patrols were seen or encountered in no man’s land and the extraordinary inactivity of the hostile artillery was still maintained. The weather was extremely fine, and had been so for the previous week, under the warm and continued sunshine, the ground became very dry and firm, heavy ground mists were prevalent during the early mornings. At 1.00 am on the morning of the 21st March, a patrol of 1 officer and 20 other ranks was sent out by “C” Company to obtain an identification. This patrol met with no opposition whatever and on his return the officer in charge was able to report that not a single German had been seen. At 4.30 am the hostile shelling ended its long period of inactivity and commenced a heavy bombardment of the Divisional front and to the north and south, high explosive and large quantities of gas shell were used on the front line system, the village of EPEHY and the Batteries. Very heavy shelling of villages in our back areas also took place, and it quickly became evident that the artillery preparation for an attack on a large scale was in progress. The gas bombardment was particularly severe, mustard gas being used, all ranks were compelled to wear their box respirators for at least 3 hours. When daylight came just after 6.00 am it was quite impossible to see the wire in front of the trenches on account of the thickness of the mist, a great disadvantage was thus experienced, the necessity for good observation being absolutely vital to the defenders. Towards 9.00 am the hostile artillery lifted the greater part of the fire from our front line system, and placed a -?- barrage west of EPEHY on the Battery positions and all approaches. Telephone communications with two of the front line Companies “C” and “D” were still working and no enemy impending attack had been reported, the thick mist still continued and observation was impossible. During the preparatory bombardment very few casualties were sustained by the Battalion and all ranks were fully prepared for the appearance of the hostile infantry. At 9.30 am the enemy infantry advanced to the attack, in accordance with the order to man battle stations the front line garrison had been withdrawn to the immediate support line, and the attack on the Battalion sector was everywhere repelled with heavy loss to the enemy. The enemy was content to hold for the line, our original front line, where he was subjected to a heavy and accurate rifle grenade and Lewis gun fire. Visibility still continued to be impossible and Forward Observation Officers were unable to inform their Batteries of the position of the hostile infantry or even give any clear idea of the situation. During the course of the morning the mist lifted slightly and at intervals strong forces of the enemy could be seen advancing towards ROHNSOY and LEMPIRE on our right. The 16th Division on our right were compelled to withdraw some distance to conform with the line on their right. Strong bombing attacks were made against our right flank held by “A” Company, on two occasions the enemy forced their way into “A” Company’s trenches, but were immediately ejected by vigorous counter bombing. Towards 1.00 pm a lull occurred in the fighting on the Battalion front and meanwhile the mist had cleared. Large forces of the enemy could be seen moving west through ROHNSOY and LEMPIRE, and large concentrations of his infantry were seen massing in the valleys east of our front line and in the neighbourhood of VAUCELETTE FARM and VILLERS GUISLAIN. During the afternoon reports received showed that the enemy has broken through our defensive system on the right and were advancing rapidly, the enemy was everywhere held on the 110th Brigade front. Towards 5.00 pm the enemy commenced to trench mortar the support line, the fire being heavy and accurate, and at 6.00pm a withdrawal was made to the RED LINE just east of EPEHY to conform with the 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on our left who had been driven out of their support line and to link up with the left Battalion of the 16th Division on our right. The night of March 21st/22nd March passed without any further attack on the front of the hostile infantry, but the enemy artillery displayed great activity during the night chiefly on the approaches to EPEHY and the back areas.