269th Company, Machine Gun Corps
Albert William Partlett was born 7 July 1898 in Chilson, Oxfordshire and was the son of George Henry Partlett and Elizabeth Smith. He had a full sibling sister Clara, who was born in 1900 at Lyneham near Chipping Norton, Oxon.
Following Elizabeth’s death in 1901, George married Ann Jane Smith in 1905.
Albert’s half-siblings from that marriage were Eva Mary born 1906 and died 1907; Horace James who was born 1908; twins May 1909-1910 and Ernest 1909-1910; Doris 1912; Muriel M 1913; Hilda 1914; Beatrice V 1915; Grace E 1917 and Gladys E 1918.
In 1901, Albert was living with his parents, George and Elizabeth, and sister Clara in Lyneham, Oxon.
By 1911, he was living with his father, stepmother Ann, siblings Clara and Horace, and his Step-Grandmother Mary Smith at The Green, Coberley, near Cheltenham.
Arthur enlisted in Cheltenham and served with the Machine Gun Corps (MGC) 269th Company (Infantry) as Private 107418 (formerly the Berkshire Yeomanry Cyclist Battalion with Service Number 71258), and was awarded the British and Victory medals.
The 269th MGC was formed in England and moved to France to join the 16th (Irish) Division on 18 January 1918.
It moved to No 16 Battalion MGC on 9 March 1918, and this battalion was broken up on 8 May 1918 and troops transferred to infantry.
Arthur died of wounds aged 19 years on 8 June 1918 at Lambeth in London.
He is buried on the west side of St Giles Churchyard, Coberley, Gloucestershire.
A Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone marks his grave and he is commemorated on the 1914-1918 Coberley Roll of Honour within St Giles Church.
Research by Baden Russell who as author, wishes to acknowledge and thank Karen Palmer, a third cousin once removed, for her contribution.