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his medical, prior to leaving the army, he was judged to be
40% disabled, due to the malaria.
He left the army on 22nd April 1919 and returned to Kings Cliffe,
just 23 years old.
There are too many Percy William Skinner’s in the marriage and
death registers to be sure which one refers to the man here.
SKINNER Walter
Born 1890 in Kings Cliffe, Walter was the son of Frederick and
Rebecca Skinner of Park Street, Kings Cliffe.
Walter married Elizabeth Green in 1913.
The Stamford & Rutland News reports on 19th April 1916:-
“Married men join:- ....several married men left to join the colours last
week .... Mr. W. Skinner...”
There are too many Walter Skinner’s in the medal records to be
able to identify this man.
SMITH Albert Edward/Edgar
Private 9352 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
Born 9th August 1896 in Kings Cliffe, Albert was the son of
George and Mary Ann Smith of High Street, Kings Cliffe.
His father was a timber carter and on census night 1901 he
was away from home, staying at the Cock Inn in Baldock with
another Kings Cliffe man, Fred Culpin, another Cliffe carter.
By 1911, Albert was 14 years old and spent his time partly at
school and partly working as an errand boy.
Albert joined the regular army in mid 1911 as a 14-year-old –
the youngest age that the army would take boys. He left for
France with the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment on
6th November 1914, just three months after his 17th birthday.
The rule was that you didn’t go overseas until you were 18 so he
almost certainly lied about his age when he joined
The 2nd Battalion had little time to prepare for this new warfare,
as they were fully involved in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
through most of March and April 1915.
214
40% disabled, due to the malaria.
He left the army on 22nd April 1919 and returned to Kings Cliffe,
just 23 years old.
There are too many Percy William Skinner’s in the marriage and
death registers to be sure which one refers to the man here.
SKINNER Walter
Born 1890 in Kings Cliffe, Walter was the son of Frederick and
Rebecca Skinner of Park Street, Kings Cliffe.
Walter married Elizabeth Green in 1913.
The Stamford & Rutland News reports on 19th April 1916:-
“Married men join:- ....several married men left to join the colours last
week .... Mr. W. Skinner...”
There are too many Walter Skinner’s in the medal records to be
able to identify this man.
SMITH Albert Edward/Edgar
Private 9352 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
Born 9th August 1896 in Kings Cliffe, Albert was the son of
George and Mary Ann Smith of High Street, Kings Cliffe.
His father was a timber carter and on census night 1901 he
was away from home, staying at the Cock Inn in Baldock with
another Kings Cliffe man, Fred Culpin, another Cliffe carter.
By 1911, Albert was 14 years old and spent his time partly at
school and partly working as an errand boy.
Albert joined the regular army in mid 1911 as a 14-year-old –
the youngest age that the army would take boys. He left for
France with the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment on
6th November 1914, just three months after his 17th birthday.
The rule was that you didn’t go overseas until you were 18 so he
almost certainly lied about his age when he joined
The 2nd Battalion had little time to prepare for this new warfare,
as they were fully involved in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
through most of March and April 1915.
214
