1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge) (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
21/11/1917
Died:
15/07/1944 (Killed in Action)
Age:
26
Summary
Corporal Albert Victor Symonds was born on 21st November 1917 in Islington, North London, the son of Mr. Herbert & Mrs. Louisa Symonds (nee Bailey), later of Barnet, Hertfordshire. Albert was the husband of Gertrude Symonds (nee Stewart), Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. Prior to enlisting in the Army, he worked in the retail clothing business and was an accomplished musician....
Further Information
Albert Victor Symonds was the son of Herbert and Louisa Symonds (nee Bailey).
Albert Symonds was born on 21st November 1917 in Islington, North London.
Prior to enlisting in the army, Albert worked in the retail clothing business and was an accomplished musician.
While based with the Middlesex Regiment in Portrush, N. Ireland in 1941 Albert met and romanced Gertrude Stewart from Magherafelt. Gertrude worked for the Ministry of Finance, whose offices were moved from Stormont to the Metropole in Portrush.
They married on 6th June 1942 and had one child. Elizabeth Laverne Symonds was born on 3rd May 1943.
Corporal Albert Symonds was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment when he was killed in action on 15th July 1944 during Operation Greenline in Normandy, France.
Operation Greenline was a night attack across the Odon Valley. All the companies of the battalion moved up on the night of 14th July 1945 to take up their positions. Casualties were severe, particularly in D (mortar) Company as their bombs exploded on enemy target with great accuracy. This in turn incurred the wrath of the enemy and casualties were high as all the platoons in D Company were concentrated close together because of the narrowness of the valley they crossed.
Corporal Albert Symonds has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 16 of the Bayeux Memorial in Normandy, France. The Bayeux Memorial stands opposite the Bayeux Cemetery.
The CWGC record Corporal Albert Victor Symonds as the son of Mr and Mrs H Symonds. He is also recorded as the husband of Gertrude Symonds of Cookstown, County Tyrone.
