Albert George Botley

This story and photo is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher.

Albert George Botley's story is complicated, but I have tried my best to unravel it, I just hope I am correct. On the Salcome War Memorial they state his parent's were George & Nellie Botley, but I think her name was 'Rosa' unless it was a nickname. I found Workhouse papers that tell us that his mother was one of their daughters, Lucy Jane Botley, and he was brought up with an uncle (Percy) who was born the day after him.

Albert Botley was born on the 11th of March 1916. He was born in the Medway Union Workhouse at Chatham. George & Rosa also had a son, Percy Botley, on the 12th of March 1916, the day after Albert Botley. I believe that George & Rosa raised Albert and Percy together as their sons.

We see George & Rosa Botley on the 1911 census, living at Little Culland Farm, Burham, Nr. Rochester, Kent with their 7 children. In 1916, Albert George and Percy Botley had been born and Albert George’s mother, Lucy Botley had married Charles Swatling in the December quarter of 1919 in the Malling, Kent, Registration District. He was 21 years her senior.

The 1921 census reveals that Charles and Lucy were living at Baker Street, Burham, Kent with their son, Clarence, aged 8 months, Albert's half-brother. Charles was working as an agricultural labourer in Eccles. Albert meanwhile was living with his grandparents at Little Culand Cottage, Burham, Kent and was recorded as being their son. Sadly, the same year, George Botley was to die in the December quarter of 1921 which left Rosa Botley bringing up their six children all under 15 years.

It seems that Albert's mother, Lucy died in 1934, aged 37. Sadly, I have no information on Albert George Botley, in his early or teen years but we see him in the 1939 Register living with his grandmother, Rosa, and nephew, Percy, in Baker Street, Burham, Malling, Kent. He was working as a Brickwork Kiln Setter.

Albert married Dorothy Florence Clark in the June quarter of 1943 in the Kingsbridge registration district, Devon. We see her for the first time in the 1939 Register living with her mother at 4 Top View Cottages, Bonaventure Road, Salcombe, Devon. A newspaper article dated the 4th of February 1947, tells us that Dorothy’s parents, Francis & Catherine May Clark (née Strawbridge) were living separately, as their marriage had broken down, with May Clark living at with her two daughters in 1939.

I do not know when Albert George Botley was to enlist or was conscripted but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom. He was serving with 49 Royal Marine Commando which landed near Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Juno Beach on D-Day. He was first buried at St. Aubin-sur-Mer before being reburied at Bayeux British Cemetery on the 29 November 1944. He is commemorated on the Salcombe war memorial.

In the June quarter of 1947, Dorothy Botley married Sidney S. Cooper in the Kingsbridge registration district and she died in 2005.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Albert Botley. If you are aware of one, or you are related to Albert, we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.