The Lincoln Leader and County Advertiser

Saturday May 29th 1915

LINCOLN TERRITORIAL KILLED

Hit in the Communication Trench

UNDER NOTICE FOR PROMOTION

HELPED TO BURY LANCE-CORPORAL LEAMY

“SPLENDID IN EVERYTHING HE DID”

By the death Of Lance Corporal Albert Codling the 4th Lincoln territorials have lost yet another valued an promising non commissioned officer. ” I had him under notice for further promotion writes captain Tetley and it is a Distinct loss to his platoon that such an energetic and intelligent young soldier should have been fatally wounded so soon after his arrival in the trenches. Additional poignancy is added to the circumstances in view of the fact that the deceased Lance Corporal was a close comrade of the late Lance Corporal Leamy, who under like conditions lost his life a few weeks ago. Codling in fact was one of those who attended to the burial of Leamy and in a letter home he remarked at the time on the loss he and his comrades had sustained. It had been said by those in authority that the magnificent standard of efficiency attained by the British Army at present in France and Belgium is to a very large extent due to the unselfish and untiring efforts of the non-commissioned officers and Captain Tetley in his letters has more than once paid high tribute to the service of this important branch of our present army.

CAPTAIN TETLEY BREAKS THE NEWS

The 1st news of codling’s death was received by his parents early this week, when a letter was received from Captain Tetley to the following effect:-
“I am very grieved to have to tell you that your son Lance Corporal Codling was killed last Thursday night during an attempt by the Germans to blow up a mine that was in the trench that we were holding. The enemy was throwing trench mortar bombs and it was necessary to vacate the trench temporarily, in addition to these bombs there was a hail of shrapnel, and it was one of these bullets that hit him as he was going down a communications trench. I feel his loss very much, and he will be missed by everyone in his platoon and company. He was splendid in everything he did and I had him under notice for further promotion. His lost to you will be great, and all my sympathy and that of his comrades is with you and yours in your great bereavement. Take comfort from the fact that he died doing his duty and in the service of his country (Signed) F Eric Tetley.”

HIS HOPEFUL LETTERS

Deceased, who was only 22 years of age, wrote regularly from the trenches, but rarely mentioned the doings of either himself or his company. Shortly before his sad end he wrote in a letter to his mother: “Just a line to let you know that I am in the pink. We have just come out for arrest again. It is very cold here today, though it is nice and dry. I had two boxes of woodbines and one of gold flake from the boys at the Lindum and have plenty of fags now, but I can always find plenty of room for them… I did not expect there would be much fair this year, they are more particular about the lights in England than what they are here; In fact the people live right under shellfire. I expect they go down the seller when they begin to drop 2 near. It is alright hearing shells come screaming along so long as they keep whistling but a little bit before they burst they stop whistling, so we have a good idea whereabouts they’re going to drop. We know the report of their guns, an as they go off we know there is one coming. They are rotten shots.

HE DID HIS DUTY

Under date 23rd inst. Colour Sergeant Maplethorpe writes:- ” Dear Madam, – It is with deepest Sympathy that I enclose these few lines along with the money that was found on your son. It was handed to me by Captain Dean, who asked me to forward it to you. His few private things have been sent to the base and will be forwarded from there. I knew your son very well, and he was one of the old H company, of which I was colour Sergeant, and I am very sorry we lost him and so are all the company. But he did his duty and did it well to the end, and I hope that that will be a little consolation to you for his loss.”

AN OLD TERRITORIAL

Lance Corporal Codling was an old member of the territorial’s, he having joined the 4th battalion 2 years ago and having attended 2 camps previous to mobilisation. After leaving school at the age of 13 he was employed as dray man by the Midland Railway Company and was very well known and liked by all the employees at the station. He was a youth of pleasant demeanour, and all who came in contact with him quickly became attached to him. As a soldier he was ever popular alike with his superior officers and with the men under him. Along with the late Lance Corporal Lee me he was transferred to the front about 10 weeks ago, and together with him received his first stripe not many weeks later. As already stated codling was close by when Leamy was hit, and it was his extremely unpleasant task to assist in burying his comrade.
A second son of Mrs Codling is at present with the 2/4th Lincolns at Luton, and is anxious to get out to the scene of action and do his duty.
In a letter home at the time of his comrade’s death the Lance Corporal wrote: “I received Dad’s letter when we entered the trenches at 3:30, I was just against poor Leamy when he was hit. He was one of my pals, and he got promoted at the same time as I did. He was in the same section as I am. It was mustard that night, bullets were coming like rain around us and we were taking no notice of it when he got hit, poor chap. It unnerved us a bit. I feel sorry for his wife, he having only been married after mobilisation. He was only 21 that day. The corporal of the section and myself and some others saw that he got a decent burial”