1st Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
Only scraps of information have survived in respect of Albert William Hatton’s military service: indications are that he was an ‘old soldier’ prior to the Great War.
Albert William Hatton was born at Chedglow, near Malmesbury in 1883 (baptised on 8 July 1883). He was one of nine children born to Henry Hatton (1854-1932), a market gardener and his wife Rosa Matilda (née Vincent: 1852-1944) and eight of the children survived at least until the time of the 1911 Census.
By the time of the 1891 Census the family were living at Southrop.
It is believed that Albert joined the Army around the middle of 1900. He joined The Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment) and his number, 5608, was one issued around this time. A further clue is a short report in the Gloucestershire Echo of 10 May 1910 where Albert and another man were each fined fifteen shillings at Fairford Petty Sessions for stealing two fowls from a farm. They pleaded guilty and attributed their action to drinking too much beer!
Albert was described as an Army Reservist, who wore his South African War medals. If If Albert had served in South Africa this would have been with the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshires, who were on active service there from late 1899 to 1903.
The usual terms of service for those serving in county regiments was seven years ‘with the colours’ (ie on active service) and five in the Reserve, although this could vary and then the terms be extended. It would appear that Albert was a Reservist in 1910. Unfortunately, in the absence of any Service or Pension Records none of this can be verified.
On 30 September 1911 Albert married Nora Goodwin (1883-1961) and they had one child named William Albert Henry, born in August 1912.
Prior to his marriage, at the time of the 1911 census, Albert was living with his parents at Southrop and the census return notes that he was ‘working at home’; probably as a gardener.
If Albert was still a Reservist in August 1914 he would have been recalled to his regiment upon the outbreak of war: otherwise he must have volunteered his services early on.
The Medal Roll for the Wiltshires notes that he served with the 1st Battalion and his Medal Index Card notes that he was posted to the Western Front on 21 September 1914.
The 1st Wiltshires formed part of 7th Brigade, 3rd Division being one of the first units to become part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).
Their battalion War Diary records that a re-enforcement draft of about forty men arrived on 23 September 1914 and Albert was almost certainly one them. The battalion were soon in action near to Vailly, on the River Aisne and fighting the Germans as they were pushed back at Neuve Chapelle and later Richebourg during October.
A War Office Casualty List, dated 17 December 1914, published in the press, lists Private A W Hatton (5608) amongst those wounded but due to the fact that there was always a ‘lag’ in such announcements, therefore the wounding could have been incurred in either of the two previous months.
The next part of Albert’s story is mostly conjecture, as little evidence has survived. He was probably sent back to the UK for treatment and recovery from his wounding. Depending on the extent of the injuries treatment and recovery could take a long time and with no antibiotics available deep seated infections were often difficult to treat and the doctors had to result to surgery. Albert ended up at the Royal Gwent Hospital at Newport, South Wales.
According to the Register of Soldiers’ Effects he died here on 25 March 1915, aged 31 and a recently released Pension Record Card states that death occurred ‘after operation’ and the absence of any evidence of the issuance of a Silver War Badge, which were given to those who had been discharged from military service, indicates that he was still a serving soldier at the time. The nature of his wounds is unknown.
Private Albert William Hatton’s body was brought back to Gloucestershire, for burial in the churchyard of St Peter, Southrop on 31 March 1915. His grave is now marked by a standard CWGC headstone and he is commemorated on the war memorial plaque inside St Peter’s Church.
His widow continued to live in the area until her death in 1961.
Researched by Graham Adams October 2020