Current Information:

Agw-25

Born-St Lukes

13, Tasso Road, Fulham

Bac-du-Sud British Cemetery, Bailleuval, France

The Battle of Albert was a continuation of the Battle of Amiens that had been fought earlier in the month and which had been the start of the Hundred Days Offensive that culminated in the collapse of the German army and the end of the war. On the first day, 21st August, the British Third Army attacked along a front that stretched over ten miles northwards from the town of Albert as far as Moyenneville and made significant advances everywhere.

At 4.45am on 21st August, the Guards Division on the left of this line attacked and soon reached the first objective without meeting much resistance. At 5.40am 8 and 9 Brigades of 3rd Division passed through them and continued the assault to to the second objective, the Arras to Albert railway which was reached at 9.00am by 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers and 7th Shropshire of 8 Brigade. German resistance would stiffen as the day progressed but at this stage of the proceedings there was little to prevent this forward movement except for a few isolated machine-gun posts and it could have been that one of these was responsible for the death of Francis Marvin of 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers, who was killed in action.