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Private 8458 Albert Edward Vockins
2nd Battalion (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Royal Berkshire Regiment
Local Information:
Private Vockins was the son of Ephraim and Mary Vockins, of High Street, Hungerford, Berkshire.
He was born in Hungerford and enlisted at Newbury in 1910. After training at Reading he was posted to the 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment stationed in India.
On the outbreak of war he returned to England with his battalion which formed part of the 8th Division.
The battalion mustered at Winchester but it is not known if he managed to get to Hungerford before going to France.
He went to France on the 6th November 1914 and died on Wednesday, 6th January 1915, aged 24.
He is buried in Fauquissart Military Cemetery, Laventie, Pas de Calais, France.
Photo Gallery:
Private Albert Edward Vockins
Cap badge of the Royal Berkshire Regiment
Mrs Mary Vockins, mother of Pte Albert Vockins
Airman Arthur Vockins Royal Air Force (Survived the war)
Mr Ephraim Vockins, father of Pte Albert Vockins
Private Alf Vockins, Wiltshire Regiment (Survived the war)
- Private Albert Edward Vockins
- Cap badge of the Royal Berkshire Regiment
- Mr Ephraim Vockins, father of Pte Albert Vockins
- Mrs Mary Vockins, mother of Pte Albert Vockins
- Airman Arthur Vockins Royal Air Force (Survived the war)
- Private Alf Vockins, Wiltshire Regiment (Survived the war)
Regimental Information:
The War Diary reads:
4th January 1915 - In billets, relieved the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade in trenches at Fauquissart.
(1 man wounded, 9 men to hospital).
6th January 1915 - In trenches at Fauquissart.
(1 man killed, 1 wounded, 2 to hospital, 7 from hospital).
(The man killed was Private Vockins.)
Point of Interest:
A local Newspaper reported on the Vockins family:
"Here is the patriotic record of the family of Mr Ephraim Vockins, of High Street, Hungerford, himself an old soldier.
The first son, Private Albert Edward Vockins, age 24, 2nd Royal Berks Regt (six years service), was killed at Neuve Chapelle, January, 1915.
The second son, Pte Edgar W. Vockins, age 19, Royal Marine Light Infantry, was killed at the Dardanelles, May, 1915.
The third son, Pte Frederick Charles Vockins, age 29, a machine gunner, Royal Canadian Dragoons, died August, 1915. He was in the USA, and crossed to British Columbia, Canada, and came to England at his own expense, to join his friends who were on Salisbury Plain, and after some months of fighting, was invalided to Netley, and died while undergoing an operation for appendicitis.
The fourth son, Lance Corporal Sidney Vockins, age 20 (MM), Post Office Rifles, a Lewis gunner was killed in action 23rd March, 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal for saving a very vital corner with his Lewis gun, and his officer writes to say what a brave lad he was and that no man in the platoon gave him more assistance in the great battle, and had he lived he would have been recommended for further decoration.
Two other sons are serving, second Air Mechanic Arthur Vockins, RFC, Alfred Vockins Royal Wilts Regt, a seventh son has been medically rejected four times.
[We do not know what Regiment Vockins senior served in and the reference to the 'Royal Wilts Regt' may mean the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry or the Wiltshire Regiment]
The Canal Wharf, 2011