Albert George Grace (1908 - 1944)

Born Dec 1908 in Lambeth, London, Surrey, England

Husband of Constance Lucy (Chellingworth) Grace — married Mar 1942 in Croydon, Surrey, England

Died Jun 1944 at age 35 in France

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Richard Oliver [send private message]

Biography

(Killed in action) Notes by Richard Oliver (3rd cousin of wife)

My identification of this gentleman is tentative, and future genealogists with better knowledge are welcome to correct my findings. I have chosen the Albert born in 1908 as the only other male of the same name was younger than his bride at the time of her marriage, and moreover was in a 'Borstal' (reform school for juvenile delinquents), the year before.

I therefore determine that Albert was born in 1908. Since I find no Civil Death or Burial record for him, I turn to the casualty lists of the Second World War, and select the following poor D-Day bastard to be the late husband of my cousin Constance: Private Grace A.G., 5391238, of the 2nd Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who went "missing" (along with a number of others) on 9th June 1944.

Thanks to wonderful Wikipedia I am able to add the following: " "As the first day of the landings closed, more reinforcements arrived as part of Operation Mallard, they included the rest of the 2nd Ox and Bucks. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Darell-Brown DSO, replaced Lieutenant Colonel Michael Roberts who had been injured during the landings and would remain in command of the battalion during the defence of the Ardennes and over the Rhine landing. On 7 June the battalion captured the small village of Herouvillette and then headed for the village of Escoville where it met some extremely determined resistance. Having experienced intense fighting with German troops supported by armour and unable to successfully dig-in and hold the village, the battalion withdrew, moving back to Herouvillette where it took part in its defence."

As a happier footnote, I observe that a son was born in 1943, Peter J Grace, whose mother's maiden name was Chellingworth. So the "right" Albert made a positive contribution to the human race, in spite of everything.

Sources

• GRO INDEX : Marriages Mar 1942 Grace Albert G & Chellingworth Constance L Croydon 2a 1737