Lance-Corporal Albert Wakeham
2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment
30/09/1915
1914 Star
Born at St Helier, Jersey. Son of Mrs. Kate Theresa
Southern, of 1, Surtees St., Hopetown, Darlington.
Killed in action, aged 23 years
NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post
of Saturday 5 June 1915
An Old La Motte School Boy at the Front.
The following is an extract from a letter received from
Lance Corporal A Wakeham of the 2nd Yorkshire Regiment,
now at the Front. The soldier lad was formerly a scholar
at La Motte Street Boys School and will be remembered
by many of his former school mates. The letter reads
"Just a few lines in answer to your most welcome
letter which I received about a fortnight ago. You will
see by my address that something has happened, as you
might say. I have been Lance Corporal since early in
February, I am back with my old Company and have twice
been with them in actions in which I have witnessed
some rare old scenes and many sad ones. You will have
heard of Neuve Chapelle where our artillery blew the
Germans out of the trenches and those who were left
were poked out with our bayonets; also this last battle
where, although we did not get it all our own way, we
had a great victory and won a great deal of ground.
We are having a well earned rest at present, the Canadians
having taken on the job we were doing, but how long
it will be before we are back in the thick of it I do
not know, but now we have got them on the move I expect
we shall have to keep them at it. We heard about the
sinking of the Lusitania very soon after it was done
and I can tell you the boys were mad, we couldn't believe
it at first. I am sorry to hear that there are still
so many able bodied and fit young fellows hanging back,
they do not realise what it all means, if they knew
what we know, if they could see what we are seeing day
after day, if they could be made to realise that these
things might have happened in England or Jersey I am
sure they would come forward. I often wonder how dear
old Jersey is going on and how my old friends are keeping.
Remember me to all the Old Boys, wouldn't I love to
pay a visit to the old school, perhaps I shall one day".
