Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Samuel Durrance an agricultural labourer, born 1859 in Burton Lazars, Leics., and his wife Mary Elizabeth Durrance (nee Stevens), born 1860 in Hose, Leics. Albert was a schoolboy and was born in 1885 in Burton Lazars, Leics., his siblings were, Jane T., a schoolgirl, born 1882, Fred, a schoolboy, born 1883, George, born 1888 and Wallace, born 1890, all his siblings were born in Burton Lazars, Leics., in April 1891 the family home was at Hacks Farm Cottage, Lime Street, Burton Lazars, Leics. In March 1901 Albert was employed as a farm servant and was residing at Vicarage, Lowesby, Leics. In April 1911 Albert was serving as a Corporal with the 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment and was residing in the family home at Rosebery Avenue, Melton Mowbray, Leics., together with his father, now a domestic gardener, his mother and siblings, William, a tinsmith, born 1891, Walter, a farm cowman, born 1894, Cecil, a clothiers shop assistant, born 1896, Eva A., a schoolgirl, born 1899, Lily May, a schoolgirl, born 1901 and Doris Ethel, born 1904, all his siblings were born in Melton Mowbray, Leics. He had completed 14 years service at the time of his death, and had served in South Africa and India. Both of the memorials show the initials as W.A. and the church memorial shows the rank as Sergeant, I therefore assume Albert to be the second initial. The entry in the War Diary states. DIARY LOST FROM OCTOBER 26th to NOVEMBER 15th (A note in the diary covering this period states) The Regiment was engaged most of the time in action, on November 14th there were only two Officers left – about 300 men. On Friday November 20th 1914 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – TRIBUTE TO A MELTON SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION.- The Editor, “Melton Mowbray Times.” Dear Sir, - In your last issue I notice a letter from Sergt. Sanderson. I think it would interest your readers to know the following passage from a letter I received from him last week:- “I met one Meltonian, Sergt. Durrance of the Northants....that night at Ypres. We shook hands before we formed up; he is killed now. After the charge at Langemark he was on duty with his Maxim gun, when he noticed a dray horse-drawn filled with the enemy coming up the road flying the white flag. Durrance had, like me, ‘had some,’ so without waiting for orders he opened fire and killed the whole lot. A party of Queen’s went to investigate and found a machine gun concealed in the wagon. For this he was specially recommended. He will never get his reward poor fellow. He was such a nice chap, too. In spite of the hardships Sergt. Sanderson writes about the time when he will be able to go back to finish up the job, which he thinks will be about Easter. This shows the wonderful confidence our soldiers at the front have of winning through, in spite of the terrific opposition.-Yours truly, P.H. On Friday December 4th 1914 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – THE FATE OF SERGT. DURRANCE. – The fate of Sergt. Durrance (Melton Mowbray), of the Northants Regiment is still enshrouded in mystery. Recently we published a letter from Sergt. B. Sanderson, 2nd King’s Royal Rifle Corps., in which he mentioned that Sergt. Durrance had been killed, but the latter’s parents have received no notification, and enquiries at the War Office elicited the fact that they had no knowledge of his death. Sergt. Sanderson now writes us as follows in reference to the matter:- “The British Red Cross Hospital, Hale, Cheshire, Dec. 3rd. To the Editor of the Melton Times. Sir, - I have been informed that you would like an account of Sergt. Durrance. There seems to be a little complication with regard to his name – in one of his letters to you he signed himself as ‘W. Barnard, 27, Rosebery Avenue.’ Perhaps if you enquire at that address the problem will be solved. Another thing, has he been officially reported as killed? The authority I have to hand is from a man of his own regiment, who positively maintained he saw him killed. I first saw him at Blackdown, but he could not speak. Things were too lively in mobilising etc. On the boat going out we saw each other. The next time was at Chateau Thierry, after the retreat, and when we had the Germans on the run. After we had taken the heights above the Aisne we were thrown together, and it was there we struck a close comradeship. I used to visit him in his dug-out, more than once dodging shells in doing so. He was machine gun sergeant, and he was in great demand, both in helping to repel the many attacks and for sniping, which we considered great fun. Our regiment and the Northants used to relieve one another, and once we were in trenches together when we were called upon to repel a heavy attack made by the famous Prussian Guards, who advanced with bands playing and flags flying. Once I had been short of tobacco and was smoking tea leaves. Durrance had some Players just arrived, and he bought me some. We often talked about Melton, and whenever opportunity occurred we exchanged different things from home. He had several close calls on the Aisne. On one occasion a bullet went through his cap, and on another he got buried in the trenches. Then we were moved to Flanders. We spent a whole afternoon together at Mount Cassell, taking tea in a French cafe. Needless to say it was a rare spread. Then came the charge at Pilkem, on October 23rd. The 2nd Brigade did terrible execution, accounting for 700 prisoners and 1,500 dead. Sergt Durrance must have done a grand share. The same evening he was in the advanced trenches, and he noticed a dray drawn by horse and filled with German coming up the road. They were flying the white flag. On three occasions at the Aisne we had cause to remember that emblem. So Durrance got his maxim going, and killed or disabled the whole lot. A patrol was sent out, and discovered a maxim hidden in the cart. That night we were relieved, and dispatched to Ypres to support the 7th Division. The next and last time I saw him was in a wood where we had been placed as supports on October 28th. We knew that we were in for action next day. There he showed me the latest Melton Times. We had a chat and he told me he had been to see the General, and had been recommended. Afterwards we shook hands, and I have never seen him since. I would like that fellow who told me he was killed, to have been mistaken, because we had planned to have such nice times together. Events then became very warm as you know. My Battalion formed up about 150 after the charge which they made on October 31st. Other Regiments were in similar straits. I didn’t get the exact day on which he was killed. He was a fine comrade, and respected throughout his Battalion, everybody knew him. A smart soldier, and splendid shot. I shall treasure the memory of those hours we spent together at the Aisne. I am compiling my diary, and will send it in time for your next week’s publication if you wish. – Yours Faithfully, B. Sanderson.” On Friday December 4th 1914 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON’S DEAD HEROES.” – ANOTHER MYSTERY SOLVED. – THE FATE OF SERGT. W. A. DURRANCE. - (A photograph accompanied the article). The mystery which has been associated with the fate of Sergt. W. A. Durrance, of the 1st Northamptonshire Regiment for the past two months was cleared up last Wednesday, when his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Durrance, of Rosebery Avenue, Melton Mowbray, received an intimation from the War Office that their son was killed in action on November 3rd. The news was first conveyed to them in an extract from a letter by Sergt. Sanderson, published in the “Melton Times” on November 13th, in which he stated that Sergt. Durrance, who had just previously written a letter to this paper, got killed. The next week we supplemented the news by the following further extract from another letter written by Sergt. Sanderson. (See Melton Times entry for Friday December 4th 1914) That was the last that we heard of the matter until Wednesday, when the parents received the official intimation of his death. Sergt. Durrance has been in the Northamptonshire’s about 14 years, and served in the South African War. He was 29 years of age, and was well known and respected in the town. One of his brothers, Cecil, has joined the Territorial Reserves, and another brother, George, has volunteered for Lord Kitchener’s Army. A third brother, Private George Durrance, was in the Leicestershire Regiment, but deserted over ten years ago, and has not since been heard of. On Friday February 12th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” - WESLEYAN ROLL OF HONOUR. – In accordance with the custom arranged, the Roll of Honour was called at the evening service in the Wesleyan Church on the first Sunday of the month, The Rev. W. W. Cherry Chatham, officiating on this occasion. There were five additions since last month, viz., Thomas William Durrance, Hammond Rayson Broxholme, Arthur Hubert Gamble, Herbert John Brown and Arthur Henry Lee, making 120 in all. Special mention was made of Sergeant Durrance, one of the roll of honour, who had been killed in action, special prayers being offered, and suitable hymns rendered.