On the Loos Memorial, France is the name of 17164 Private Albert George Meadows serving with the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment who died 26/09/1915.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Albert George Meadows was born at Newcastle upon Tyne, one of 8 children of whom 7 survived. He was the 2nd born of 3 sons and had 2 older and 2 younger sisters.
His father Charles Joseph Meadows of Garmouth, Norfolk, was born in 1859. In 1881, aged 22 years he was serving aboard the vessel United as a mate. Having met Elizabeth Combes, also of Garmouth, born 1865, their daughter Alice was born in 1884 although they did not marry until November 30th 1887 at St. Nicholas, Garmouth. They migrated to the north east and settled at 211, James Street, Byker, near Newcastle upon Tyne where Hilda May was born in 1890, William in 1892 and Albert George in 1896. Charles was employed as a general labourer and by 1898 they had moved to the opposite bank of the River Tyne to Gateshead historically in County Durham where Elizabeth gave birth to a further 3 children, Charles Joseph Jnr. in 1898, Hilda May in 1900 and Lily in 1902.
They were living at 43, Fleming Street, Gateshead, Charles Snr. was employed at Redheugh Gas Works as a labourer, Alice also worked there as a machine minder. Charles Joseph Meadows died in 1907 aged 48 years. Over the following years Elizabeth’s two elder sons married and left home.
By 1911 she had moved to 354, Askew Road, West, Gateshead, Hilda May was now employed as a twine spinner at the ropery, William at Redheugh Gas Works as a coke picker, whilst Albert (13) Charles (10) and Lily (9) were scholars.
On the outbreak of war on August 4th 1914 Albert George was 16 years of age, still too young to enlist. He presented himself at Gateshead, September 9th 1914, telling a lie declaring he was a labourer aged 19 years of age and was assigned as Private 17164, firstly to the Durham Light Infantry and then transferred to the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. When Halton Park was offered to the War Office by Alfred de Rothschild as a training camp the first division to arrive was the 21st Yorkshire Division made up of the 8th East Yorkshire Regiment, 10th York. and Lancaster and the 9th and 10th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. By November 15th 1914 the Division had moved into billets for the winter having left Halton Park for Aylesbury and continued their training. Private Meadows was admitted to Aylesbury Hospital February 17th 1915 suffering from influenza but was sufficiently recovered to return to his unit 3 days later. May 21st 1915 the Division returned to Halton Park and underwent final training. The 8th Battalion as part of the 21st Division departed as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France, September 8th 1915.
The battalion first saw action as part of the main attack at the opening Battle of Loos, September 25th 1915, fighting in the SE corner of the coal mining village of Loos and two companies on the slag-heaps throughout the 25th and 26th September 1915.
Private Albert George Meadows was declared as missing during this encounter and after extensive investigations as to his possible whereabouts was declared as deemed to have been killed in action September 26th 1915. His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 20,000 names inscribed on the Loos Memorial which forms the sides and back of Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens, Pas de Calais, France commemorating those who fell as of the first day of the Battle of Loos until the Armistice, who have no known grave. He was 18 years old and single, still officially too young to serve overseas.
His mother Elizabeth received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 44, Wolseley Street, Gateshead.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Albert George Meadows is remembered at Redheugh on R43.01, at Teams on T68.02 and at Gateshead in G39.004
