Pte 38819 Albert Robinson Quine

Albert was born 13th May 1896 in Conchan, the son of Alfred Thomas Henry Quine and Annie (née Quillin). His parents married in about 1880 and had eight children. His siblings found on censuses are Elsie, George, Alfred, Annie, and Stanley. Albert lived all his life in Glencrutchery Lodge, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, Isle of Man. 

 

On the 1901 census at Glencrutchery Lodge.

The father Alfred T.H. aged 46, is employed as a coachman b.Onchan, mother Annie 46 b.Rushen, children all born Onchan, Ginger W. 18, Annie T. 17, Alfred T. 16, Stanley Q. 11,  Albert R. 4.

In 1911 Albert is living with his parents and brother Stanley. His father is a coachman, his brother Stanley is 23, a butcher. Albert is 14, no occupation noted. His mother, 54, states that she has been married 30 years, three of their eight children have died.

 

 

He enlisted in Seaforth, Liverpool joining the 11th Battalion as Private 38819. He subsequently transferred and was serving in  ‘C’ Company, 9th Platoon of the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment when he was killed in action on the 22^nd March, 1918, aged 21 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary gives an insight into the events of the day: 

22^nd  GERMAINE – HAM- MOYENCOURT

The battalion moved up accordingly being in position at 6:30 a.m. About 3pm the enemy attacked the left of our position and advanced on our left flank towards FLUQUIERES. At 4:30 pm an attack was launched on our front and the enemy forced his way through on our right. The remainder of the Battalion was forced to retire to south of FLUQUIERES. During this engagement the Battalion lost 11 Officers and About 21 O.R. The order was given to retire to the defences at HAM. The Battalion by this time was very weak, and passing through the 20^th Division took up positions in HAM, as ordered, getting into position at 2am.

Albert was originally declared Missing:

Reported in the isle of Man Times on 28th April 1918:

“Mr. and Mrs. T. Quine, Glencrutchery Lodge, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, have received information that their youngest son, Private Albert Robinson Quine, King’s Liverpools, has been posted as missing since about March 31st.  He went out with the battalion, and did not return.  Hopes are entertained that he may be a prisoner.  Private Quine is 21 years of age, and before joining the Army was employed by Mr. J. Taggart, Howstrake.  He has an older brother and a brother in law also in the Army.”

 

His sister, Mrs. Annie S. Armitage, at 188 Townsend Lane, West Derby, made enquiries with the International Red Cross but received a reply stating they held no information.

 

Isle of Man Weekly Times on 22nd June 1918:

“Mr. and Mrs. Quine, Glencrutchery Lodge, Glencrutchery Road, have received information from the War Office that their son, Private Albert Robinson Quine, who was reported missing on March 22nd, is now reported to have died on that date, in Germany, from causes not stated.  A letter has also been received from Corporal Smith, a prisoner of war in Germany, in which he says, “I was with Albert when he died and saw him buried.  He was laid to rest beside his captain.”  Private Quine was 21 years of age and joined the Army in May 1916.  He was a grandson of the late John Allen Quillin, joiner, Four Roads, Port St. Mary.”

 

Isle of Man Examiner on 29th June 1918:

 “Private Albert Robinson Quine, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Quine, Glencrutchery Lodge, Douglas, who was reported missing on the Western front on 22nd March last, died on that date whilst a prisoner of war in Germany.  The information was forwarded by a comrade, Corporal Smith (who is also a prisoner of war), and was to the effect that he was with Private Quine when he died, and that he was present at the funeral.  The cause of death is not stated.  Private Quine was 21 years of age.”

 

The  newspaper reports concerning his death are somewhat conflicting. He was not taken prisoner and so cannot buried in Germany as a POW nor, sadly, is there any evidence to suggest that the grave that he was reportedly laid to rest in, alongside his Captain, survived the war.

Albert is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the Missing in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

The pension card shows that Albert was declared Missing on 22nd March 1918 and his death later officially accepted as having occurred on that date.  His mother received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £8-10s. 

 

His father died in 1926 and his mother in 1937.

 

Albert is commemorated on the following Memorials
 

Manx Roll of Honour

Isle of Man National War Memorial

Onchan War Memorial