Albert Brandreth

ALBERT BRANDRETH.

1994, Private, Albert Brandreth, 1/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.

Born in 1896, at Macclesfield, son of John and Adeline, (nee, Rathbone Brandreth, of, 226, Peter Street, Macclesfield. Albert the youngest of six children was educated at Crompton Road School, he was also a keen member of the local Boy Scout Troop, he attended the Sunday school.

In 1911 he was living a 4, Court Crompton Road, Macclesfield. Prior to enlistment, he was employed as a cotton weaver, working at Lower Heyes Mill, Macclesfield.

Albert attested at the age of 17 years, in August 1914, at Macclesfield, into the 8th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.
He was later transferred to the 5th Battalion. In January 1915, he was drafted with the British Expeditionary Force to France.

The 5th Battalion were a Pioneer Battalion, with a high reputation as diggers and as constructors of field works. It was whilst repairing a trench that Albert was hit in the head by a machine gun bullet and killed instantly, Saturday, 17 June 1916, he was aged 19 years.

Medals: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Private, Albert Brandreth is buried at Hebuterne Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
C.W.G.C. Ref: – II.C.3.

Also refer to

• Macclesfield Troops pre WWI
• Photos from Barnswood archive Macclesfield WW1
• WWI List of Addresses Trevor Druce Macclesfield Reflects
• ‘Big Hats, Shorts and Dyb Dyb Dyb’ – a history of Macclesfield and Congleton Scouts by Norman Gosling