Albert Arthur Soanes

A Private with the 9th Battalion, Albert died on 15th of October 1918 aged 27. 

Albert was born at Lowestoft in 1891, a son of Albert and Louisa Soanes. In 1901 he was living with his grandparents at 92 Bevan Street and he still lived with them, at 92 Bevan Street, in 1911 when he, like his grandfather, worked as a butcher. 

On 20 October 1913 Albert married Mabel Beatrice Gurney at Saint Margaret's Church. Albert was working as a butcher and living at 7 The Hemplands, and Mabel lived at 1 The Hemplands. Their home was at 8 Haward Street, Lowestoft, where they had a grocery shop.

Albert enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the East Surrey Regiment and served initially with the 3rd Battalion. He went to France to join the 8th Battalion and was later posted to the 9th Battalion. 

We do not know when Albert was gassed but he died from the effects of gas. It is possible that he was gassed at Niergnies, on 8 October, or at Saint Aubert, on 14 October, when the battalion war diary records that one man was gassed and one slightly wounded. Albert is buried at Delsaux which, in October 1918, was the base for casualty clearing stations and it is likely that he died at one of them. 

Albert's brother-in-law, James Gurney, served with the Royal Field Artillery and died in 1918.