Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Service no. 17206
Story
Albert was the son of James Nicholson and Emma Roberts, and was baptised in Kippax on 16th October 1891. He was a Coal Miner, living on Leeds Road, Kippax, and married a widow, Laura Hicks (née Crossland) in Garforth on 13th July 1907. Albert moved to 139 Briarlands, East Garforth, and had a daughter Emily on 17th May 1914. He was 5 ft 9½ inches tall, and enlisted on 21st December 1914, but was discharged from the Army on 7th May 1915 as being medically unfit, and “not likely to become an efficient soldier.” However, it was reported in the Castleford and Pontefract Express that Albert had deserted, and his trial was covered on 30th April 1915:
“At Leeds West Riding Court, on Tuesday, Albert Nicholson, Miner, Kippax, was in custody charged with being a deserter from the 3rd West Yorks. Regiment, now stationed at Whitley Bay, Northumberland. Inspector Ramsey said that on Monday night, whilst on duty at East Garforth he saw prisoner in plain clothes going to work at the Trench Pit. Knowing him, he asked if he was discharged from the army, and prisoner replied that he was expecting his discharge in a few days. Later he admitted being a deserter, and said that he had left the regiment because the billet was dirty. The Chairman said that a man who deserted at a time like this was not the best sort of citizen. It looked rather like funk. Prisoner would be remanded to await an escort. Addressing Inspector Ramsey, the Chairman said that the Bench considered he had acted smartly, and he would be awarded 10s.”
After the War, Albert returned to Coal Mining, but during the Second World War, he became a Munitions Worker. He passed away on 10th July 1943, and was buried in Garforth on 12th July, at the age of 52.
<< Charles Morley
Eli Nicholson >>
Soldiers discharged as Unfit Home Page
Home Page
Kippax Roll of Honour 