Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Snodin, a shepherd, born 1869 in Queniborough, Leicestershire and his wife Elizabeth Ann Snodin (nee Munton, married in the 4th quarter of 1895 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district), born 1874 in Seaton, Rutland. Albert was born in the 2nd quarter of 1898 in Frisby, Leicestershire, he had one sibling, a sister Lilian Muriel, born 12th June 1900 in Eye Kettleby, Leicestershire, in March 1901 the family home was at Old Guadaloupe, Eye Kettleby. In April 1911 Albert was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Eye Kettleby, together with his father, a shepherd, his mother and sister Lilian, a schoolgirl.
Albert attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement of 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve on the 28th May 1915 in Melton Mowbray. He gave his place of birth as Frisby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, his date of birth as the 15th April 1897 and his trade or calling as labourer. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his father, George Snodin and his sister Lilian Snodin, of Eye Kettleby, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 6½ inches in height, weighed 142 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 33½ and 35½ inches. His complexion was described as fresh, his hair colour was dark and he had brown eyes. His physical development was described as normal. He gave his religion as Presbyterian. He was pronounced fit for the Army on the 28th May 1915 in Melton Mowbray. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 18717 on the 29/5/15. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 9/6/15. Appointed Lance Corporal on the 13/1/16. Transferred to the 3rd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and allotted the service number 26261 on the 11/7/16. Posted to the 2nd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on the 19/8/16. Embarked from Devonport on the 19/8/16. Disembarked Kilwa, German East Africa on the 29/9/16. Reverted to Private, Kilwa on the 14/10/16. Appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid), Kilwa on the 21/10/16. To receive temporary pay for appointment in the Machine Gun Company, Kilwa on the 1/12/16. Appointed Lance Corporal (paid) on the 1/12/16. Ceases to draw pay for appointment in Machine Gun Company on embarkation for Egypt on the 24/1/17. Disembarked Suez on the 5/2/17. Admitted to hospital suffering from malaria on the 5/2/17. Received pay for appointment to Lance Corporal vice “Dalton,” at El Arish on the 15/2/17. Ceases to draw pay vice “Whittaker,” at El Arish on the 15/2/17. Discharged from hospital on the 4/3/17. Receives temporary pay for appointment vice “Mansfield,” at El Arish on the 9/3/17. Receives pay for appointment to complete establishment, in the field on the 1/6/17. Embarked from Port Said on the 18/5/18. Disembarked in Marseilles on the 29/5/18. Admitted to the 95th Field Ambulance, in the field, suffering from influenza on the 15/6/18. Transferred to the 58th Casualty Clearing Station, in the field on the 16/6/18. Wounded in action, in the field on the 23/7/18. Admitted to the 103rd Field Ambulance, suffering from gunshot wounds (multiple), in field on the 23/7/18. Died of wounds in the 103rd Casualty Clearing Station, in the field on the 23/7/18. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 29/5/15 – 18/8/16, 1 year 82 days. East Africa, 19/8/16 – 4/2/17, 170 days. Egypt, 5/2/17 – 17/5/18, 1 year 102 days. Embarked for the British Expeditionary Force France 18/5/18 – 26/5/18, 9 days. British Expeditionary Force, France 27/5/18 – 23/7/18, 58 days. Total service, 3 years 56 days. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. Albert’s surviving service documents are in 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: 23 Jul-18 – See copy of Report on Operations attached.
Record of Operations of The 2nd BATTALION LOYAL NORTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT from the 23rd July, till 4th August, 1918.
Ref Map. attached marked X ? not here
On the night of the 22/23rd July, 1918, the 34th Division relieved the French Colonial Corps under Lieutenant Colonel Dufoulon.
Relief was completed by 1.00am 23/7/18, 101st Brigade held the right half sector, 102nd Brigade held the left half sector of 34th Division; 103rd Brigade was in Divisional Reserve.
In the 101st Brigade, the 2ndLoyal North Lancashire Regiment were on the right; 2/4th Queen’s on the left, extending on a frontage from wood 500 yards north of COURTREMAIN (inclusive to Loyal North Lancashire Regt.) to PARCY TIGNY.
On the right of 2nd Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was the 19th French Division.
The orders for commencement of the attack were roughly:-
At about 6.20 a red rocket was to give the signal for the attack which was to be preceded by a barrage. The other two orders for attack were to be delivered by telephone or by wireless and power buzzer.
Direction of advance to be due East.
Artillery preparation was to last 10 minutes and as soon as the barrage lifted, the attack was to commence under the orders of the Infantry Commanders.
At 7.37 a message was despatched to 2nd Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment that attack would commence at 7.40 O.C., 2nd Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on receipt of this message immediately went up to the support line which was in position 50 yards behind the front line, each line on a frontage of 2 Companies “C” Company on the right, “D” on the left in front line, “A” Company on the right and “B” Company on the left in support line.
At about 8 o’clock, “C” Company first wave, consisting on No.12 Platoon, advanced and immediately O.C., 2nd L. N. Lan. Regt countermanded the order.
The first wave, after advancing 50 yards, was practically wiped out, the remnants falling back under heavy enemy machine gun fire and Artillery barrage which came down on our front trench within a minute of the first wave advancing.
In the meantime “D” Company advanced on the left of the Battalion and covered the right of the 2/4th Queen’s to within 600 yards of the HARTENNE – CHATEAU THIERRY ROAD. They had driven in enemy advanced machine guns, but enemy counter attack at about 9.30 drove back the 2/4th Queen’s on “D” Company’s left, causing “D” Company to withdraw also.
“D” Company 2nd L. N. Lan. Regt. had about 60 casualties, including 2nd Lieutenant J. R. T. JONES (killed). The remaining officers - Lieutenant C. CROSBY, Lieutenant W. E. MARTIN, and 2nd Lieutenant C. C. DUTTON were wounded. About 20 of the wounded of “D” Company had to be abandoned.
For the rest of the morning the enemy kept up heavy artillery and Trench Mortar fire on the wood 500 yards north of COURTREMAIN on which the right flank of the Battalion rested.
About 70 casualties were caused in this wood by enemy shelling.
In the afternoon of the 23rd “C” and “D” Companies were withdrawn to Battalion Reserve. “A” Company occupied the small salient and wooded spur on the right flank of the 101st Brigade; “B” Company occupied the re-entrant in the low lying ground on their left joining up with the 2/4th Queen’s further to the left. The L. N. Lan. Companies were disposed in depth.
The night of the 23/24th was employed in clearing our shallow trenches of casualties and burying the dead, and slightly altering our dispositions by holding the front line lightly – in a similar manner to that in which it had been held previously by the French Colonial Corps.
On Friday August 9th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – MELTONIAN’S DEATH FROM WOUNDS. Mr. and Mrs. George Snodin, Dalby-rd. Stables, Melton Mowbray, have been notified of the death, from wounds in France, of their only son, Lance-Corpl. Albert Snodin, of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, late of the Leicestershire Regiment. He was wounded on the 16th July, and succumbed on the 23rd ult. Lance-Corpl. Snodin, who was 20 years of age in April last, had had a varied experience of warfare since he joined up, in May, 1915, when he was only seventeen. He enlisted in the “Tigers,” and was subsequently transferred to the Lancashire Regiment, and went out with them to German East Africa just two years ago. He was then sent to Egypt, where he remained until about nine weeks ago, when he came to France. Before the war, Lance-Corpl. Snodin was in the employ of Mr. E. W. I. Oakley, J.P., Eye Kettleby.
And in the same issue under the heading: “BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.” – THANKS. Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Snodin and daughter, also Miss M. Tyers (fiancée) wish to tender their sincere thanks to all kind friends for expressions of sympathy in their sad bereavement.