Hamsteels St. John
In St. John The Baptist Churchyard, Hamsteels, County Durham, is a family grave which reads:-
In loving memory of
FREDERICK
The Beloved Husband Of
PHYLLIS CONSTANTINE
Of Cornsay Colliery
Who Died April 18th 1912
Aged 60 Years
Also
ALBERT Pte. 13th D.L.I.
Son Of The Above
Who Was Killed In
Action In France
October 10th 1918
Aged 24 Years
Also Of The Above
PHYLLIS CONSTANTINE
Who Died 31st March 1944
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Albert Constantine born at Cornsay, County Durham, one of 7 children of whom only 4 survived, was the youngest of 3 sons and a daughter. His father Frederick Constantine born 1849 in the district of Leyburn, Yorkshire, having migrated to the north east met Phyllis Bousfield born 1858 at Oakenshaw, County Durham, whom he married in the district of Durham in 1880. In 1881 they were living with their new born daughter Margaret Ann at 21, John Street, Meadowfield Place, Brandon where Frederick was employed at the Pipe Works (Sanitary) as a finisher. Their son James Frederick was also born at Brandon in 1883 before they moved to Cornsay Colliery where Ernest was born in 1886 and Albert in 1894. They settled at 15, Liddle Street, Cornsay, Frederick found employment as a colliery labourer, however by 1901 he was a clay pot maker at a brick yard and it was his sons James (18) and Ernest (14) who were miners below ground, Albert listed as 6 years of age was a scholar. By 1911 they were living at 137, Chadwick Street, Margaret Ann and James Frederick were married, Ernest was employed as a waggonway-man, Albert a landing lad, their father was now retired. Frederick Constantine died, April 18th 1912. Although the family tombstone states he was 60 years of age he was in fact 63 years old.
On the outbreak of war Albert enlisted at Durham, September 8th 1914. A few days later the new recruits left Newcastle-upon-Tyne for Bullswater Camp in Surrey where they were divided into the 12th and 13th Battalions Durham Light Infantry and the 10th and 11th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers. He was assigned to the 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 15952 but later transferred to the 13th. They began training wearing their own civilian clothes until they were issued with blue surge uniforms and obsolete rifles by October 1914. By July 1915 they had khaki uniforms, leather equipment and rifles and made ready for service overseas.
August 28th 1915 attached to the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division they departed to France and without any nursery training sent straight to the front line trenches but thankfully were spared the disastrous Battle of Loos, spending winter 1915 and spring 1916 in and out of the trenches at Armentieres and Souchez. Twice in one month Private Constantine was taken by the Field Ambulance to the Casualty Clearing Station to be treated for scabies, then on to the hospital centre at Etaples and finally November 20th 1915 transferred back to England. He returned to his regiment at their depot in France, January 1916 and rejoined his regiment in the field March 17th 1916 during preparations for the Battles of the Somme.
The division was moved south to the Somme in late June 1916 and entered the fighting at La Boisselle, July 7th 1916 until late July and early August they were involved in fighting near Munster Alley and Pozieres. The rest of August 1916 was spent in the trenches at Armentieres before the 13th returned to the Somme where in October they attacked Le Sars, whilst the 12th Battalion assisted by a tank captured the Tangle. At the conclusion of the battle the 13th Battalion left France for the Ypres salient in Belgium where they participated at Messines Ridge in June 1917, were in the trenches at Klein Zillebeke until September 1917 and participated during the 3rd Battle of Ypres at Menin Road.
The 13th Battalion was part of a French and British force that left for Italy in October 1917 where they fought in the trenches on the Piave River and Asiago Plateau but before crossing the Piave they were withdrawn and returned to France in September 1918 to join the Allied advance on the Western Front. Fierce fighting followed and by the end of October the 13th battalion had lost over 300 men killed or wounded.
Private Constantine was reported as missing October 10th 1918, in the Le Cateau sector, his next of kin were informed and an extensive investigation took place as to his whereabouts. It was discovered that Private 15952 Albert Constantine had been killed in action October 10th 1918 and interred at Quietiste Military Cemetery, Le Cateau, Nord, France, grave B. 16.
Private Constantine at the time of his demise was 24 years of age and single. Recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Military Medal and Bar (December 12th 1917), awarded for bravery in battle on land and the Croce de Guerra (November 29th 1918).
As per his will dated March 17th 1916 his mother as sole beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards sent to her at 7, Liddle Street, Cornsay Colliery, County Durham, where she was residing July 21st 1919.
Albert’s brother Ernest Constantine also served and survived the conflict of WW1.
Phyllis Constantine nee Bousfield died March 31st 1944 aged in her 85th year.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Gavaghan, who has Private Constantine’s Medals; has submitted the following:
Born: Lanchester
Enlisted: Durham
Home: Cornsay Colliery.
Killed in action; 10th October 1918, at St Benin on River Selle.
Awarded Military Medal: 28 October 1916 (DRO) at Le Sars, Battle of the Somme.
Awarded Bar: 13th October 1917 (DRO) at Reutel, third Battle of Ypres.
Awarded Croce di Guerra: Dated 4th July 1918 (DRO 372).
Information from the : D.L.I. Collection
See pages London Gazette 13004, 13005, 14099, 14100.
Albert Constantine is remembered at Cornsay on C116.01 and at Quebec on Q2.05 and at Durhan in the DLI Book of Remembrance page 280.
