ALBERT HENRY LUKE
The parents of Albert Henry did not bring the Luke family to Portsmouth until around 1908 but as his father, Henry Shotton Luke, had been born in Bombay it's likely he was the son of a soldier and may therefore have been in barracks in the town at some time.
Henry and his wife Rosina had been living in Newcastle-on-Tyne where Henry had been an engine fitter and it was probably his trade that brought him to Portsmouth where he had a job at the Dockyard. Their two children had been born at Newcastle, Albert Henry in 1897 and Wilfrid Ernest in 1905.
The 1911 census found the family living at 62 Lynn Road, off New Road, Buckland. At the time Albert Henry was working as an errand boy for a tin smith, an occupation he should have continued through the outbreak of the Great War as he was only 17 years of age at the time. However, the CWGC record shows that he died in February 1915 when he could have only just reached 18 years. As overseas postings wwere not permitted to those under 19 years it would seem that he lied about his age.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) list Albert Henry Luke, Driver (972), Royal Engineers, died 11/02/1915. Buried at Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate (Grave Ref: C.23.). Son of Henry S. and Rosina Luke, of 62, Lynn Rd., Buckland, Portsmouth.
Albert Luke is not remembered on the Cenotaph in Guildhall Square, nor is he listed in the 'National Roll of the Great War' Section X.
Tim Backhouse
March 2015