Albert Potter was born in Point Edward, Ontario, on July 9, 1896, the son of Albert Victor Potter (born in England) and Flora Louise (nee Beasley) Potter, of 173 Brock Street, Sarnia. His siblings included William Olive (born 1894) and Gordon G. (born 1899). Albert came from a family that had a long military background; for example, his father, Albert Sr. a firman, also tried to enlist but was not allowed to join. His maternal grandfather ran away at the age of seventeen to fight his country’s battles, going through the Crimea and other wars in Europe. After serving for fifteen years, he immigrated to Canada. Years later, Albert would train at Aldershot, the same site in England where his grandfather had trained more than half a century before.
Albert Potter was a young man who got to the front through sheer determination, for he had been rejected three times for active service. He first enlisted in No. 3 Stationary Hospital Corps on February 4th, 1915 and stayed with that unit four months. His first rejection occurred when he was discharged following a severe attack of pneumonia. When his strength returned, he offered himself with a reinforcement draft of his old unit, No. 3 Stationary Hospital Unit in July of 1915. He was in uniform barely twenty-four hours when he was again stricken with pneumonia. After his recovery, he was discharged, his second rejection. When the Lambton 149th was organized, he enlisted with the Lambton Battalion Band in Sarnia on February 9th, 1916. At the time, he listed his occupation as clerk and his marital status as single. He also recorded that he had prior military service at #3 Stationary Hospital C.E.F. He trained with the Battalion at London and Camp Borden and finally went overseas as a member of the band.
In England, he stayed with the band until drafts for active service in France dissolved the band. He offered his services but was again rejected as unfit, his third rejection, and was transferred to the 156th Battalion Band. He went with that organization on a tour of all the hospitals, giving musical programs in all the different hospitals in England, cheering up the wounded soldiers and sailors of the British and colonial troops. He stayed with that organization until February 1918, when he at last was successful in getting on a draft of reinforcements for the Army, Canadian Infantry, Eastern Ontario Regiment, 21st Battalion, going to France as a member of that unit, with the rank of Private.
Albert and his unit were immediately rushed to the front line, where he would remain until the time of his death. He saw two of his best chums killed, one on the 1st of April of 1918, and another on the 31st of May. This was a sad blow to the young soldier but, despite his troubles and heartaches, his letters home were never anything but cheery and optimistic. In his last letter to his parents in Sarnia, he told them not to worry, that he was enjoying himself, and that he hoped to be back home with them in the near future.
On August 6, 1918, Albert Potter would lose his life while fighting in France, just prior to the Battle of Amiens and the start of Canada’s final Hundred Days Campaign. Mrs. Flora Potter at 173 South Brock street, Sarnia would receive a telegram in early-September of 1918, informing her of the circumstances of her son Pte. Albert Potter’s death:
Madam,
I beg to transmit herewith a copy of the report setting forth the circumstances under which the late soldier marginally noted (A.E. Potter 845109) killed 6-8-18, met his death: “On the morning of August 6-18, the 21st Can. Bat. moved forward to occupy new positions and while passing one of our ammunition dumps an enemy shell hit the dump, causing explosion, and killing the above mentioned soldier and several others belonging to this unit. Director of Records
His Battalion had been moving forward of Villers Bretonneux to occupy new positions in the front line trenches. Albert Potter would officially be listed as Killed in action. Two days after Albert met his death, the last of the quartet of chums, Sergt.-Major Traynor, “went West.” This was also a blow to the Potter family, as Sgt.-Major Traynor was the one upon whom the Potter family depended for all particulars of their soldier son. Back in Sarnia, his mother Flora would receive the following letter of condolence from the 21st Canadian Battalion chaplain in October of 1918:
Dear Madam,
Our Colonel has asked me to express the sorrow of the whole battalion for the death of your gallant son, Albert Edwin Potter who was killed in the Battle of Amiens on August 8th. He died instantly and suffered no pain. His effects will be sent to you in due course. He was a good soldier.
Yours lovingly, Rev. Renison
Twenty-two year old Albert Potter is buried in Longueau British Cemetery, Somme, France, Grave I.A.I. Following is a portion of the Observer newspaper article reporting on Albert Potter’s death:
What a price we are paying for liberty? Sarnia and Lambton sons a few years ago in the schools of this city or district – many of them are to-day sleeping in Flanders – because at the sound of the bugle which sounded the call of the Motherland, they went to stop the advancing hun….
The younsters are the ones who are paying the toll in this great carnage. Albert was just a boy, barely twenty-two, with his whole life before him. He tried twice to do his bit and could have stayed in Canada with honor, but his was a spirit that would not stay down. His ambition to do his best to the full, and while his passing brings a tear to the eye of all who knew him, they have the consolation of knowing that they had a MAN to call a friend. His parents mourn the heroic passing of a noble son as “One more gone for England’s sake, Where so many go, Lying down without complaint.”
SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, L, N, 2C, 2D, 2G