Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
PD. He was the son Elizabeth (Kate) Waldrom, born in the 4th quarter of 1864 in Shepshed, Leicestershire. Albert Victor Waldrom, a schoolboy, was born in the 1st quarter of 1884 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Waldrom , a schoolgirl, born in the 2nd quarter of 1888 and Emma Waldrom, a schoolgirl, born 1885, the latter two siblings were both born in Shepshed, in April 1891 Albert was residing with his mother, a housekeeper and the family at Sullington Road, Shepshed, this being the home of William Thorpe, an agricultural labourer, born 1862 in Shepshed. In March 1901 Albert was employed as a shoe trade riveter and was residing at Sullington Road, Shepshed, together with his step father, William Thorpe, a cattle drover, his mother and sibling, Lizzie Thorpe, and half blood siblings William (Willie) Thorpe, born 3rd September 1892, Mary Ann (Polly) Thorpe, born 1897 and Gertrude Thorpe, born 1899, the latter three siblings were all born in Shepshed. In April 1911 Albert was absent from the family home at Sullington Road, Shepshed, residing there was his step father, a farm labourer, his mother and sibling, Lizzie, a hosiery winder and half blood siblings, William, a general farm labourer, Mary, a hosiery trade winder, Gertrude, a schoolgirl, Florence May, a school girl, born 1902, Evelyn, a schoolgirl, born 1905 and Ernest, born 29th June 1907, the latter three siblings were all born in Shepshed. Albert was serving as a Private with the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and was stationed at Fort Saint George, Madras, India.
Albert’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, on the 12th February 1904 in Loughborough, Leicestershire giving his trade or calling at the time as labourer, he was allotted the service number 7268, and after training was posted as a Private to the Leicestershire Regiment, he had served with the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment in India and appears to have completed his service and been a reservist. Upon the outbreak of war he was recalled to the Colours and posted to the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 9th September 1914. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 25 Oct-14. (Sun). At the CHEMICAL FACTORY at RUE DU BOIS, the Germans had attempted to rush the trenches at dawn, but were beaten back with great loss, shelled intermittently all day. 2 Platoon of “D” Company were driven out by enfilade fire at about 9.00am, but retrieved the position by dusk, ordered to retire during night. Trench line was reinforced by 1 Coy EAST YORKSHIRE REGT and 2 Platoons of the RIFLE BRIGADE during the day. “A” Company’s line was not seriously attacked. Casualties two Officers wounded, twenty two other ranks killed, sixty eight wounded and ninety eight missing.
On Friday November 27th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “SHEPSHED MAN KILLED IN ACTION.” – Rumours were current nearly a fortnight ago that Private A. W. Thorpe, 1st Leicestershire Regiment, had been killed in action. The rumour was confirmed on Friday from the War Office. Private Thorpe, who was about 26 years of age, was a reservist, and left Shepshed on August 5th with a number of others to join his regiment. He had been bandmaster and conductor of the Shepshed Town Prize Band, by whom he was much esteemed, and was also a member of the Liberal Club. Of the 250 Shepshed men who have joined or rejoined the Colours, this is, as far as is known, the first who has fallen in battle during the war. On Sunday afternoon both the Shepshed brass bands met in the Bull Ring, and under the conductorship of Mr. A. Griffen played the “Dead March,” “Gallant Soldier,” Vital spark” and the National Anthem. On a table in the centre of the band lay deceased’s bandmaster’s uniform and baton.
NOTE: The family information collated from census returns, birth, marriage and death records, although appearing to relate to this casualty and his family, cannot be fully and conclusively corroborated with presently available information, therefore not all of the information provided in the family background can be taken as being totally accurate. Albert was shown to have been born Albert Victor Waldrom in 1884 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, the son of Kate Waldrom, he is also shown to have two younger sisters Elizabeth (Lizzie) Waldrom and Emma Waldrom, Lizzie survived from the 1891 census and is shown as Lizzie Thorpe in the 1901 census, Emma on the other hand is untraceable after the April 1891 census. Albert’s mother appears to have married William Thorpe sometime after 1891, but no trace of any marriage certificate was discovered, Albert appears to have adopted the surname of Thorpe sometime after 1891 as he was shown with that surname in the March 1901 census return and also enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment giving Thorpe as his surname. The surname of Waldrom, has been variously spelt as Waldram and Waldron on official documents. The above research was carried out in July 2019.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times Article, Friday November 27th, 1914:

SHEPSHED MAN KILLED IN ACTION

CONDUCTOR OF THE TOWN PRIZE BAND

Rumours were current nearly a fortnight ago that Private A. W. Thorpe, 1st Leicestershire Regiment, has been killed in action. The rumour originated from a postcard from a Shepshed man in the same regiment, who had written on the address side that Pte. Thorpe had fallen. Inquiries at the War Office by his parents, who live at Sullington Road, Shepshed, elicited the reply that they had no information on the matter. On Friday, however, a letter was received from the War Office stating that he had been killed.

Private Thorpe, who was about 26 years of age, was a reservist and left Shepshed on August 5th with a number of others to join his regiment. He had been bandmaster and conductor of the Shepshed Town Prize Band, by whom he was much esteemed, and was also a member of the Liberal Club. Of the 250 Shepshed men who have joined or rejoined the colours, this is, as far as is known, the first who has fallen in battle during the war.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby, September 2017.