Albert Victor Lea

Rank:	Sergeant
Street:	Kilglass Rectory
Townland:	Kilglass
Town/Village:	Legan
Civil Parish:	Kilglass
Catholic Parish:	Legan
Country:
Alternative Address:	Palmerstown, Co. Dublin.
Census 1901:	Resident at Ballycloughan, Co. Down www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Ballyhackmore/Ballycloughan/1222793/
Census 1911:	Resident at Palmerstown, Co. Dublin, with his brother Henry. www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Dublin/Palmerstown/Palmerstown_Town/41195/
Regiment/Unit:	Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 10th Battalion & 7th (Pals) Battalion
Regiment Number:	14186
Date of Death:	13-11-1916
Cause:	Killed in action, Beaumont-Hamel (Battle of the Somme), France
Memorial:	Thiepval Memorial, Thiepval, Somme, France
Information:	Albert was born on 26 July 1886 in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, but lived in Kilglass, Legan before enlistment, where his father served as rector of the former St. Anne's Church of Ireland church there between 1895 and 1922. Albert was schooled at Campbell College (see extract from The Campbellian). Prior to the war he was a clerk in the Irish Land Commission (Estates Branch) and later was with the Irish Land Register. His brother Henry was also a civil servant, who worked in the Office of Commissioner of Irish Lights. Sgt Lea served in Gallipoli in 1915, where he was wounded. He returned to the Western Front and was killed in action at the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, one of the final engagements of the Battle of the Somme. There is an interesting story surrounding his death: according to local legend, at the time of Albert's passing, his father was holding a service in Kilglass, when footsteps were heard in the church and the Reverend saw a vision of his son.
Parents Names:	Son of Rev William Lea, Kilglass Rectory, Kilglass, Edgeworthstown (Legan), Co. Longford
Notes:	Extract from The Campbellian, Vol.IV, p.70. Name: LEA, Albert Victor. . Father: Rev William Lea. Parent's address; Kilglass Rectory, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford. Register no: 491. Brothers at Campbell: Henry William (490). Date entered: Sept 1899. Date left: Dec 1903. Date of birth: 26 July 1886. Date of death: 13 November 1916. Age at death: 30. Profession: Irish Land Register (or Commission). Regiment: 7 (Pals) Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers; later: 10 Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Rank: Sergeant. Where buried/commemorated: Thiepval Memorial (Pier 16, Face C). How died: Killed in action in attack at Beaumont-Hamel. Notes: He had earlier been wounded at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli (1915) and invalided home.
Links:	Link to CWGC entry; The Old Campbellian Society, Great War list; The Kilglass Ghost, clippings from Legan, Co. Longford Facebook page;