Name
Albert Harrowell
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
265430
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Albert Harrowell was born in Berkhamsted, Herts in 1886, the son of William and Lizzie Harrowell (nee Davis) and one of eleven children. He was baptised on 12 September 1886 at Great Berkhamsted. His parents had married on 21 March 1868 at St Mary’s, Northchurch, Herts.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at High Street, Berkhamsted St Peter, where his father was working as a builder. By 1901 They had moved to 6 Clarence Road, Berkhamsted. His father continued to work as a builder and Albert was a bricklayer's apprentice.
He married Florence Bedford on 8 August 1908 at Great Berkhamsted and they lived at 25 Queen's Road, Berkhamsted. They had four children, Philip (1908), Kathleen (1910), Raymond (1913) and James (1914).
On the 1911 Census the family were living at 68 Shrublands Avenue, Great Berkhamsted, at which time Albert was working as a bricklayer and two of his brothers in law, Frank and Frederick Bedford were living with them. His parents were then living at Clarence Road, Berkhamsted.
Wartime Service
Albert had enlisted in Berkhamsted and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment in 1904 as a territorial soldier and presumably was recalled at the outbreak of war.
He was killed in action at the Battle of Pilckem (Battle of Ypres 1917) when heavy casualties were suffered during an advance from the Steenbeck to Langemarck line. They were unable to get through barbed wire and were mown down from enemy machine gun fire.
His death was presumed on or since 31 July 1917. Albert has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £14 and pay owing of £3 2s 7d. She also received a pension of £1 8s 9d a week. His mother died in 1926 and his father in 1932, both in Berkhamsted.
Florence Harrowell obtained probate of her husband's estate on 27 March 1919 with effects of £1260 2s 9d.
Brother to Frank Harrowell (also known as Frank Lewis) who died on 6 May 1918 and whose name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Belgium.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/hertsregt
