Private Albert Edward Commins was born 10 Nov 1880 at 16 Betterton St St Giles and was my grandfather, between 1884 and 1885 was admitted to hospital with broncopnuemonia  and a diseased finger . He left 4 children between 5 and 14 at his death, and also was the cause of my Gmother’s nervous breakdown. I knew that my Gfather had died in WW1 but had no knowledge of details , and around  2000 I was given his medals by my mother  and decided to know more, this then led to find his CWWG  and to see it, that then led to have it updated with  more information , with a dedication at the bottom added , which reads ” We never touched or ever saw , but generations are still in awe “.

Private Albert Edward Commins joined the 7th Battalion London Regiment sometime in 1915 , this was ascertained by his high four figure regimental number (6881) . Most men who joined in 1914 have numbers lower than this . This high number also indicates he originally served in the 2/7th Battalion London Regiment. During the Battle of the Somme , the 1/7th Battalion suffered heavy casualties at High Wood & Warlencourt. When they moved to Flanders at the end of 1916 they were made up to strength with drafts from the 2/7th ans 3/7th Battalions. Pte Commins was one of these reinforcements , joining the 1/7th Battalion in the field on the 10 Dec 1916 . At this time the 47th (London) Division , to which the 1/7th Londons were attached were holding the following trenches as described by a soldier of the Division : The sector allotted to the 47th Division extended from the Northern bank of the Ypres-Comines canal ( more commonly known as the Bluff ) to about 300 yards north to Hill 60 … The Ypres Salient was never a ‘cushy ‘ place and the part held by the 47th Division could hardly be said to afford a rest-cure to the troops holding it . The ground was water-logged , the ‘trenches ‘ consisted mainly of sandbagged barricades built above the level of the ground , while shell proof dugouts were conspicuous by their absence . Trench mortars of all calibres were particularly playful on both sides and the artillery…. conspired to make night and day hideous and to render the naturally uncomfortable conditions about as unpleasant as it is possible to imagine. Raids were frequent , especially on the side of the enemy.

Private Commins was killed in the sector on 11 Jan 1917 and is buried in the Railway Dugouts Durial Ground ( transport farm) VII E 7.