Albert Leonard Cockell was born in the spring of 1917, and was the youngest of four children to William and Annie Cockell. William was a plate layer and packer for Great Western Railways, and the family were born and raised in the village of Dilton Marsh, near Westbury, Wiltshire.

Albert finished his schooling early, to help bring in some money. The 1911 census recorded him – at 13 years of age – employed as a glove worker. When he was old enough, though, he followed in his father’s stead and, by the time war broke out, he was working as a porter at Westbury Station.

In the autumn of 1916, Albert stepped up to serve his country. He enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment, and was assigned to the 4th Battalion. He soon found himself in the thick of things, and, by the spring of 1917, his unit was entrenched near Arras.

Sincere sympathies will be felt for Mr and Mrs William Cockell in the death of their son, Private Albert Leonard Cockell, Worcester Regiment, which took place on July 8th from wounds received while on active service in France. Private Cockell… joined the army about nine months ago, and during fighting on the 23rd April was struck by shrapnel. He was sent back to Dorchester and died on Sunday.

[Warminster & Westbury Journal: Friday 20th July 1917]

Albert Leonard Cockell was wounded on the first day of the Second Battle of the Scarpe. He died from his injuries on 8th July 1917, and his body laid to rest in the graveyard of Holy Trinity Church, Dilton Marsh.

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