COMMEMORATED IN PERPETUITY BY THE

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Albert Howard originally attested to the Labour Corps. 396th Agricultural Company. He later transferred to the Royal Berkshire Regiment, 8th Service Battalion. The 8th battalion were formed in Sept 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Third New Army (K3) at Reading. They attached to the 26th Division and moved to Salisbury Plain for training. In May 1915 - Moved to Sutton Veny.

On the 8th August 1915 they mobilised for war and landed at Le Havre and transferred to the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division which engaged in various actions on the Western Front.



Private 16123 Howard would have been involved in the following actions;

During 1915 - The Battle of Loos (wounded). Albert was listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 7th October 1915 whilst serving with the 8th battalion, at the Battle of Loos.

During 1916 - The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin, The Battle of Pozieres, The Battle of Flers Courcelette & The Battle of Morval.

During 1917 - The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and The Second Battle of Passchendaele.

On the 2nd February 1918 8th Battalion transferred to the 53rd Brigade of the 18th Division and continued to fight on the Western Front;

During 1918 - The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of the Avre, The actions of Villers-Brettoneux, The Battle of Amiens, The Battle of Albert, The Second Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Epehy, The Battle of the St Quentin Canal, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre.

Albert survived through to Armistice on 11.11.1918 and ended the war in Le Cateau, France.

Albert returned home to Steventon where he lived at 24 Milton Lane. Unfortunately, he died at home from pneumonia on 17 Feb 1919.

Albert is buried at St Michael's church yard, Steventon and was granted a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

The 1851 Census shows the Howard Family of Steventon go back to 1845. Albert was born at Milton Hill and was the middle child of 8 - 2 brothers, 3 sisters. (2 siblings died young). His parents had moved to Steventon by 1901. He married Martha Slatter in 1909 at St Michael's church, Steventon. The 1911 Census shows his home address as [24] Milton Lane, Steventon. At the time of his death in 1919 he left 4 children with his widow, Martha - Albert George (10) Frederick Aubrey (8) Alfred Robert (5) & Leslie Ernest (1).

Martha went on to marry William John Collins of Steventon (Parents - Charles Tyrrell & Mary Ann Collins) in 1923. William Collins also served in The Great War (No. 19216. Royal Artillery). Albert’s grand daughters Sylvia Pajak and Susan Morse still live in Steventon to this day.