Name
Albert Joseph Tompkins
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
203540
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
2nd/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panels 50 & 51.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Breachwood Green Baptist Church Memorial, Breachwood Green,
Great Offley Village Memorial
Pre War
Born 1898 in Offley, son of Albert Edward & Mary Tompkins. 1901 Census. Aged 2, living Tankards Farm near Luton. Born Sandridge. 1911 census. Aged 12 school, living at Tankards Farm nr Luton. Born Sandridge.
He enlisted at New Court Middlesex although he resided at Luton.
Wartime Service
Enlisted in New Court, Middlesex number formerly 7791. Also served with Royal Bucks Hussars (No 2779). Later his Regimental Number was 203540 and he was a Pte in the 2/4th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry, a Territorial Force unit.
At the time of his death the Battalion was part of the 184tl1 Brigade, 6151 Division, XVIII Corps in the 5th Army. The Battalion was in the Forward Zone at Enghien Redoubt, 2 miles north west ofSt Quentin, facing the onslaught of the German Offensive that commenced that day. By 4.00pm the Battalion had been completely overwhelmed and very few of those killed have known graves. Long missing he was reported killed on the 21st March 1918 accordin to the Parish Magazine.
Battalion war diary states: 'Positions were subjected to severe enemy bombardment commencing at 4.30am, gas being fiercely used. Joseph has no known grave.
Additional Information
Part of 184th Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midlands) Division.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, Paul Johnson, June Colegrove, Mark Morgan
