Regiment: Royal Marine Artillery
Service No: 16654
Date & place of birth: 24 June 1901 in Bepton, Sussex
Date & place of death: 8 October 1918 (aged 17) in Gosport
Gunner Albert Waller enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery. At the time of his death, he was based at the Royal Marine Depot, Eastney, where he died of pneumonia in October 1918. According to the military records, he was 18 when he died, whereas he was actually only just 17, having lied about his age when enlisting.
Family background
Albert Waller was born in Bepton on 24 June 1901, the second of three sons of Caleb Waller (1869–1944), a gardener, and his wife Alice Jane née Griffiths (1873–1945). His parents were then living at “Old Shamrock”, near the Shamrock Inn, now the Country Inn in Bepton.
At the time of his death, his parents were living at Park Cottages, Bepton.
Military service
Albert enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery and was based at the Royal Marine Depot, Eastney.
On his military records, his date of birth is given incorrectly as 24 June 1900. It would appear, therefore, that Albert lied about his age when enlisting.
It is unlikely that he ever saw active service.
Death and commemoration
He died at Haslar Military Hospital in Gosport on 8 October 1918; his death certificate gives the cause of death as “lobar pneumonia 14 days”. He was buried at Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery, Gosport.