Name
Albert E Mardell
28/01/1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/04/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
37353
Suffolk Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY
III. C. 33.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
London Colney Village Memorial, London Colney Roll of Honour, Not on the Colney Heath Memorials
Pre War
Albert Edward MARDEL/MARDELL (depending on the document) was born on 28th January 1882, in Turnford/Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, (depending on the document) son of Samuel Mardel a Farm Stockman and Fanny Maria Mardel (nee Ansell). One of their fifteen children although five died in infancy.
He was baptised in the Parish of Cheshunt, Herts, on 5th March 1882.
1891 Census records Albert aged 9, at school, living with his parents, two sisters, Saraha (15), Helen (2 months) and five brothers, at The Farm Yard, Welwyn, Herts.
1901 Census, Albert aged 18, is employed as an Agricultural Labourer, living with his parents, five brothers, two sisters, Emily (4) and Daisy (3), at Bramfieldbury Cottage, Bramfield, Herts.
On 22nd August 1901, Albert travelled to London to enlister in the Royal Sussex Regiment for 7 years with the colours and 5 years in the reserve, issued with the service number 6530. He joined the 1st Battalion, on 26th August 1901, at Chichester, West Sussex, to start his training. In August 1902, Albert was posted to South Africa to join the 1st Battalion, who had been in South Africa since March 1901, to take part in the Boer War (Second Anglo Boer War 11th Oct to 31st May 1902), He was awarded the Queen South Africa Medal. Albert and the 1st Battalion were posted to India in October 1902. He returned to the UK in December 1909, transferring to the Army Reserve on 8th January 1910.
His father Samuel Mardel died in late 1910, aged 61, the death was registered in St Albans.
1911 Census records Albert aged 29, single, employed as a Farm Labourer, he is living with his brother Samuel and his wife Selway and their family at Coursers Farm Cottage, Coloney Heath, Herts, his youngest brother 19-year-old, Arthur Mardel is also living with them. His widowed mother Fanny, brother Edward (22) and sister Edith (3), are living with her eldest son Henry and his family at 1 Thornton Street, Hertford, Herts.
Albert Married Emma May Kirby on 13th January 1912, at the St Albans, Registry Office, they went on to have two children, Emily Lilian May Mardel born in May 1913 and Phyllis Alberta Violet Mardel born in January 1917.
Albert was discharged from the Army Reserve on completion of his 12 years’ service on 21st August 1913.
Wartime Service
We believe Albert volunteered in January 1915, joining the Royal Sussex Regiment, his old Regiment, with the service number 4932, he was transferred to 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment with the service number 37353.
Arriving in France on 9th February 1915, he saw action on the Western Front, at the Battles of Ypres, Somme and Arras, he was Killed in Action on 21st April 1918, aged 36, at the Battle of the Aisne, (Battle of The Aisne 27th May to 6th June 1918). He is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery in France. Grave Ref: III. C. 33.
Additional Information
Emma received a grant of £5, on 25th May 1918, and a widow’s pension for herself and the children of 25/5, (£1-5s-5d) a week from 11th November 1918, and his effects of £4-16s-00d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £15. Her address was Myrtle Cottage, Main Road, London Colney, Herts.
Emma remarried in mid-1920, to Arthur Thomas Clayton, they went on to have three children.
His Medal Index Card (MID) indicates he served initial with Royal Sussex Regiment as Private 4932, then as Private 37353 with the Suffolk Regiment, the date of his transfer is not known.
His brother Lance Corporal 18669 Charles James Mardel, of the Bedfordshire Regiment was Killed in Action on 28th September 1916, aged 33.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
