Albert Rhodes

War Service

The medal roll index card for Albert states that he first went to France on 2nd October 1915. He had been a Pioneer in the Royal Engineers, service number 122798 and then transferred to the 708th Labour Corps (Regimental number 294684). Basically, a pioneer is someone who was employed in engineering and construction and each division were assigned a pioneer battalion for such work. In 1917 the Labour Corps was created to give more organisation to the engineering and construction work which had become an increasingly important part of the war effort. Albert died of wounds on 3rd September 1917 and was buried in the Mendinghem Cemetery. He was awarded the 14/15 Star as well as the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His effects went to his widow Mary E Rhodes.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission states he is the husband of M E Rhodes of Brandy Carr, Wrenthorpe but other than an electoral register entry for 1911 listing Albert Rhodes in School Lane, Wrenthorpe, I have found nothing to prove any further information about him. The record on ancestry.co.uk states that he was living in Middlesbrough and enlisted in Whitehall Middlesex. Through the internet I have found that his name is also on a Memorial in Middlesbrough. A researcher of that memorial states he was a steelworker there before enlisting.

Mendinghem Cemetery