Thank you to Patricia Brazier for the following research.
Albert was born on 6th December 1895 in Dorking. His parents are William and Alice Louisa (nee Ansell).
Albert’s father William was killed in a shooting accident at Brockham Brickworks in November 1895; just one month before Albert was born, leaving Alice to care for her seven children alone.
In the 1901 census, the family are living at Riverside in Dorking. Albert is 5 years old and has 4 brothers; Charles aged 18; Thomas aged 19; Leonard aged 11 and William aged 8. He also has two sisters; Annie aged 9 and Florence aged 6. Charles and Thomas are at work, while the other children are at school.
Albert attended St Martins School in Dorking from April 1902 to April 1903; he then transferred to the Dorking British School where he stayed until 1908 when the family left the area.
In the 1911 census the family are living at 2 Smart’s Gateway, Chertsey Street, Guildford. Albert, now 15, is working as an errand boy, William is working as a drapery porter, and Florence is a domestic servant. Charles, Thomas and Leonard are living in London and Annie is working as a domestic servant in Guildford.
The family then moved to Walnut Tree Close in Guildford and Albert went to work at the Shell Motor Spirit Company in Guildford. He joined the 1st/5th Regiment of the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment just two months after war broke out. He then transferred to the 22nd Battalion of the London Regiment with the regimental number 682151. He saw active service in France, Salonika and Egypt. He was wounded in October 1917 and had only just returned to active duty when he was killed in action on 30th March 1918, he was 21 years old. He is buried in Damascus Commonwealth Cemetery in Syria: Grave reference, F 55 His brother Leonard requested that “A Ray of sunshine, Loved by all” be inscribed on his headstone.
Albert is also remembered on the memorial in the Gardens of Remembrance in Castle Street, Guildford.
| Born | Dorking, Surrey | |
| Lived | Guildford, Surrey | |
| Son of | William and Alice Louisa (nee Ansell) Fisher | |
| Regiment | 22nd Battalion. London Regiment | |
| Number | 682151 | |
| Date of Death | 30th March 1918 | |
| Place of Death | Syria | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in Action | |
| Age | 22 | |
| Cemetery | Damascus Cemetery, Syria |
