Albert Morehen

Private, The Essex Regiment

(1888 - 1915)

Albert Morehen was born on August 15, 1888, in Wadenhoe, Northamptonshire to Annie Mary Culpin, age 23, and Joseph Henry Morehen, age 25. He had two brothers and eight sisters. His mother died when he was 18. He was living in Wadenhoe in 1891, 1901 and 1911.

He enlisted in 1914 as a Private with service number 15742 into the 11th Bn. Essex Regiment, formed from volunteers in 1914 as part of Lord Kitchener's Army.

On 30th August 1915 he arrived in the war in France, disembarking at Boulogne.

His ten years younger brother Herbert was there also, in the Leicestershire Regiment, having joined up saying he was 19 the previous year though he was only 16. Herbert was killed nearby at Bienvillers on 17th Sept 1915, aged just 17.

Albert died just 9 days later on 26th September 1915, killed in action on the second day of the Battle of Loos. He was 27. Twelve attacking battalions suffered 8,000 casualties out of 10,000 men in four hours. This was the largest British battle of 1915 and it lasted until 14th October 1915.

Albert's name is on Panel 85/7 of the Loos Memorial, which forms the sides and rear of Dud Corner Cemetery, located near the commune of Loos-en-Gohelle, in the Pas-de-Calais département of France. The memorial lists 20,610 names of British and Commonwealth soldiers.

He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Albert is remembered on Wadenhoe's War Memorials.