LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI

Lance Corporal Albert Edward Jopling
1st/2nd Bn London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)

Town Memorial P4.R4.C2

Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS

L/Cpl
Albert E Jopling
2nd London Regiment
Somme
July 1 1916

The words "First day of the Somme" are engraved upon the British consciousness - 1 July 1916.

One of those who died (amongst 60,000 others) was Albert Edward Jopling, No.3047, Lance Corporal, 2nd City of London Bn., Royal Fusiliers. He had enlisted in London and was resident in Leatherhead and was "killed in action" on1/7/1916. (1)

The May 1915 issue of the Parish magazine indicates that he was serving in either "The Territorial Battalions" or "The New Army".

The War Diary entry for 1st July 1916 of the 2nd City of London Bn. takes up six pages, which it is impossible to encapsulate in a short succinct account. Perhaps the last entry entry sums up the dreadful tale best:

10 p.m. -  Survivors of 'A' and 'C' Coys were reorganised with all available details, went out to collect wounded, but had no time to get all them before daybreak.

At the beginning of the day, the Londoners were at Hébuterne and "all in readiness for attack on Gommecourt".

Extracts from entries made throughout the day tell of the horror that lead up to the final entry above:

At 11.30 a.m. it is noted that the Londoners are up against the Prussian 1st Guards Division Reserve.
At 2.30 p.m. a shell burst over Captain Handysides of 'C' Coy. No officers were left in this Coy.
At 3 p.m. the men of the Coy were being killed, just getting out of their own trenches.
At 6.05 p.m. Orders were confirmed that the British in the captured German frontlines were to hold on.
At 7.30 p.m. A party of 20 men under a subaltern attempted to get through to the erstwhile German frontline – only eight got through
At 8 p.m. The last survivors of the British force in the German lines were seen to be coming back.

Notes on sources
1. Soldiers who Died in the Great War: Royal Fusiliers Museum, HM Tower of London
2. Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas Leatherhead, issue of May 1915 (courtesy of Mr L Anstee of the Parish).
3. File WO95–2960 War Diary of 1st/2nd London Regiment: Public Record Office, Kew,Richmond.

---

Further research

Lance Corporal
JOPLING, ALBERT EDWARD
Service Number 3047
Died 01/07/1916
1st/2nd Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
Commemorated at THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Location: Somme, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: Pier and Face 9 D and 16 B.

Albert was one of the thousands who had no known grave. His name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial.

Surrey Advertiser
Wednesday 12 July 1916

Below give the names of number non-commissioned officers and men killed and wounded in the great advance. Further particulars relating them will appear in Saturday’s “Surrey Advertiser.”

Killed.
...
Lance-Corpl. A. E. Jopling, City London Royal Fusiliers (Leatherhead).
...

Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 15 July 1916

LCE-CORPL. JOPLING KILLED.
The many casualties recorded this week include the name Lce-Corpl. A. E. Jopling, who was killed on July 1st. Lce-Corpl. Jopling who was 26 years of age, had been on the staff of the Capital and Counties Bank,Leatherhead, for about six years when war broke out, and he enlisted, with other Leatherhead young men, in the City of London Royal Fusiliers.

After training on Epsom Downs he left England with his regiment for Malta, afterwards proceeding to Cairo, and thence to Suvla Bay. A few months ago he came back to France, where he was attached to the Queen's Westminster Rifles, and he met his death on the opening day of the British advance. Lce- Corpl. Jopling, who was well known and very popular locally, was the son of Mrs. Jopling, of Woolston, near Southampton.

West Sussex Gazette
Thursday 20 July 1916

Three Leatherhead soldiers are reported to have lost their lives in France. Lieut Arthur Cooper. Manchester Rest., third son of Mr.and Mrs. John Cooper, Hackhurst, Highlands,  Leatherhead, died of wounds; Sec.-Lieut. C. Greenlees, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, an old St. John's School boy; and Lance-Corpl. A. E. Jopling, who was on the staff of the Capital and  Counties Bank at Leatherhead.

His life

Albert's birth was registered in Q3 1888 in South Stoneham District, Hampshire.

His father was Thomas William Jopling, born about 1845, in Durham. He was a son of Edward Jopling b 1828 and Sarah Ann Musther b 1828. He became a Coal Merchant. His death was registered in South Stoneham District, Hampshire in October 1907.

Rebecca, his mother, was born about 1858 in Newfield, Co. Durham. Her parents are not known.

Their marriage was registered in Q2 1881 in Southampton.

Albert had a sister Sarah Ella, born about 1887. By the time of the 1911 Census his widowed mother Rebecca had moved to Oak View, 26 Upper Hill Lane, Shirley, Southampton and Sarah was with her. Rebecca was described as having Private Means.

From Census and Electoral Register records he lived at:
1891: Mundi? Villa, Alma Road, Woolston, Hampshire
1901: (? above: Tobacconist Shop), Bridge Road, Pear Tree Green, Itchen, Hampshire
1911: he has not been traced in the 1911 Census
1911: Electoral Register: in lodgings at 116 Hook Road, Epsom, Surrey
1915: Electoral Register: in lodgings, in Church Street, Leatherhead, Surrey

His death announcement in the local newspaper said he was well known and very popular locally:

Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 27 July 1912

Surrey Advertiser
Monday 2 February 1914

He is listed in the Leatherhead Church Lads Brigade Memorial Tryptich.

He was single when he died.

After WW1

His Probate record shows he left everything to Rebecca Jopling, widow, his mother.

As well as being commemorated in Leatherhead his name is on the War Memorial Obelisk at the church of St Mary Extra, Southampton, in the area where he had lived with his parents.
 
Albert is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey in the Great War
Southampton, St Mary Extra, Obelisk

the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family

last updated 27 Oct 20