Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William James Meachem (Meacham), a stud groom, born on the 22nd October 1855 in Belgrave Mews, Wilton Crescent, Middlesex and his wife Martha Meachem (nee King, married in the 1st quarter of 1880 in the Kensington, Middlesex district), born in the 3rd quarter of 1852 in Mildenhall, Suffolk. Albert James was born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in Thorpe Lubenham, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 9th April 1893 in the Parish Church, Lubenham, his siblings were, Alice Mabel, born on the 29th March 1887 in Brackley, Northamptonshire and baptised on the 31st July 1887 in the Church of Holy Innocents, Kingsbury, Middlesex, Minnie, born on the 7th April 1888 in Weedon, Northamptonshire and Ernest Edward, born in the 1st quarter of 1895 in Thorpe Lubenham and baptised on the 6th October 1895 in the Parish Church, Lubenham, in March 1901 the family home was at The Hall, Lubenham, Leicestershire In April 1911 Albert was absent from the family home at The Hall, Thorpe Lubenham, residing there was his father, a stud groom, his mother and siblings, Alice and Ernest, a domestic gardener. Albert also had two older siblings, William Henry who was born in 1881 in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland and who died in 1911 and Edith Marian who was born on the 6th March 1884 in Kingsbury, Middlesex. Albert was officially recorded and registered as having been born in the 2nd quarter of 1893, however upon enlistment into the Royal Marines in November 1909 he gave his date of birth as the 11th February 1892, making him 17 years of age, and just three months short of his 18th Birthday, when he would become eligible to enter mans service, it is my own personal assumption that Albert deliberately gave an incorrect date of birth in order to quickly enter into mans service.
Albert’s younger brother Ernest was killed in action on the 17th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France.
NOTE: Albert’s father was engaged in working as a stud groom for the owner and occupier of Lubenham Hall, Leicestershire, Gordon Cunard, who was a member of the famous Cunard shipping family. In the Absent Voter’s Lists for 1918, his three sons were listed as, Anthony Gordon Cunard, serving as a Lieutenant with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Hebe, Edward Cunard, serving with His Majesty’s Diplomatic Service and Victor Cunard, serving as a Lieutenant with the Reserve Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, in the same list, Albert James was listed as a Private, service number 15568, serving with the Royal Marine Light Infantry.
Albert enlisted into the Royal Marines on the 17th November 1909 in Nottingham, his reckonable service to commence on the 10th February 1910 and was allocated the service number 15568. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 7¼ inches in height, his complexion was described as fresh, he had brown hair and blue eyes, it was noted that he had a scar on the middle finger of his left hand, and a circular scar on his right hand. He gave his date and place of birth as the 11th February 1892 in Thorpe Lubenham, Market Harborough, Northamptonshire, his trade or calling as groom and his religion as Church of England. He gave his father, William Meachem, of Thorpe Lubenham, Market Harborough, Northamptonshire as his next of kin, later changed to his mother, Martha Meachem at the same address.
His record of service records:
Joined. Recruit Depot. Deal, Kent. Pte. 17/11/09.
Transferred. Portsmouth Division. 9/11/10.
Embarked. HMS Exmouth. 5/6/11.
HMS Albemarle. 16/12/12.
Transferred. Portsmouth Division. 14/5/13.
Embarked. HMS Liverpool. 6/7/12.
Transferred. Portsmouth Division. 4/7/13.
Embarked. HMS Vindictive. 21/10/13.
Transferred. Portsmouth Division. 30/6/16.
Embarked. HMS Fearless. 25/9/16.
Transferred. Portsmouth Division. 29/4/18.
Embarked. E.L. London. 31/5/18. – 30/10/18
Died. 30/10/18.
Albert’s cause of death was recorded, as influenza. At the time of his death he was serving in North Russia.