Albert Samson Teague

Rank:

Private

Regimental number:

11625

Unit at enlistment:

4th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Cemetery:

Greenwood Cemetery, Brantford, Ontario

Commemorated at:

St. Luke Anglican Church

Birth country:

England

Birth county:

Warwickshire

Birth city:

Birmingham

Address at enlistment:

23 Park Avenue, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

23 Park Avenue, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Moulder

Employer:

Burrows Foundry

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Married

Age at enlistment:

Image gallery:

Letters and documents

BX May 22, 1915

Germans Do Not Hesitate In Shooting Wounded Men – Albert Sampson Teague Sends Graphic Story of the Gallant Fight Put up By the Canadians Against Great Odds – Luckily Enemy Did Not Know the Weakness of Reinforcements

That the Germans do not hesitate to shoot at wounded soldiers is borne out by the experience of Private Albert Teague who was wounded in the fighting at Langemarck, and who in the following interesting letter to his wife, tells of his activities during the hell of fire:

March 5, 1915
Second Southern General Hospital
New Southmead Infirmary, Bristol

Dear Wife and Children

Just a short note hoping it finds you well as it leaves me going strong at present. The wound is healing fine but the muscles of my fingers are contracted. I am about to undergo massage treatment. I am enclosing a picture of myself the afternoon we arrived in Bristol. I have a nice cup of tea in my hand, the first for many a long week. Yesterday we went to the picture show. The people loaned us about 20 autos and took us around the country and along the Avon. The weather is like our Canadian weather. Quite redeeming itself. It certainly is a lovely country.

Well, about the battle. They say if you ever get into hell you are done for. That is not true. I have been there and come out fairly well. Some general said, “War is hell” but of two evils give me hell. It was fierce. We had to attack the Germans the morning following their breakthrough of the French lines and try to prevent them advancing. They little thought we had so few reinforcements or they would have walked through our lines. Anyhow, we started the advance in the open over nearly 200 yards, and then it started. Talk about skittles, I was not in it after about 15 minutes. I was about the only one left in our section. Once when we made a dash and were lying down, a fusillade of shots came at me. I could not make out why the others were not getting so many until I discovered that it was my pack on my back that was giving me away. Believe me that soon went west, tobacco, souvenirs and all. Then I made for some long grass myself, and four of a party of six of us were killed, the other was shot in the foot. So instinctively I dropped too. They certainly had me marked. I lay there for about three or four minutes, then I popped up my head expecting an order to advance. Good Lord, I think they put a machine gun on me. Down I popped again and the bullets cut the grass in front of my eyes. To stay there was suicide, so I up with my rifle and advanced. I did not feel like taking it lying down. I decided to get it at close quarters, so by short dashes, I got to within 150 yards of the trenches, when I got plugged. The pain is not much. I thought they had hit every bone in my body for a second or two. The bullet went in the thick of my arm and came out of my wrist, taking with it a piece of bone. Through the x-ray the doctor showed it to me. Well that stopped me, with one arm gone, so with another chap who was shot through the leg, we started for the dressing station, and believe me it was worse than advancing. Those dirty Huns shot at us all the way back and they could see we were wounded. I think I shall make it a specialty of picking up all the wounded I can. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but I shall get a little satisfaction of giving back some of their own medicine and seeing how they like it. Don’t think they would be so handy with their gas bombs if they had a dose of it themselves.

Had Close Call

We had a close call coming back. We had got about 500 yards when we heard a Jack Johnson slowing up. Down we dropped and that darn thing dropped about 20 feet away. Down in the ground it went, then burst, and up came the earth and dropped onto the pair of us. Smothering both but hurting neither. At last we got to the dressing station and were fixed up.

Then we started for Vlamertinghe just as a high explosive shell dropped on the corner of the hospital right amongst some French reserves. Those shells are horrible and they can sure find the target, anyhow they get there. If we had only to travel 300 or 400 yards in our advance between the trenches we should have spoiled the look of those three army corps. We had the Buffs (East Kents) West Kents, Middlesex, East Yorks and some other regiments come to our rescue. If there was no trench fighting but done all in the open, there would be no Huns in Belgium. They have too much respect for the British Tommies’ bayonets, for, believe me, they sure can use them.

Albert

BX May 6, 1915

Another telegram announcing a Brantford casualty in the fighting which took place two weeks ago at Langemarck was received in the city yesterday afternoon by Mrs. Albert Teague. The official notification contained no particulars, simply stating that Mrs. Teague’s husband, Private Albert Samson Teague, who left this city with the first contingent of Dufferin Rifles, had been wounded, and that further particulars as soon as they arrived at Ottawa would be forwarded to her.

Private Teague had no previous service at the time of his enlistment, but had resided in Brantford for nine years, coming to this city from his home in England. His parents conduct a grocery store at the present time at the corner of Grey and Rawdon Streets, while his wife and two children, Alfred and Minnie reside at his home, 23 Park Avenue. By trade he was a moulder, being formerly employed at Burrows’ foundry, and prior to that at the Massey-Harris works. At the outbreak of hostilities he was occupied at odd jobs about the city.

Just last Tuesday Mrs. Teague received a letter from her husband stating that he and his companions were expecting a big fight and at the time of writing they were marching into the thick of it. He expected at that time that his wife in Brantford would hear about the anticipated battle before the letter arrived at its destination.

BX May 11, 1915

Mrs. B. Teague, 23 Park Avenue East, has received a letter from her son, Private Albert Samson Teague, stating that he has not been wounded, though it has been officially announced that he was. She is very grateful for the expressions of sympathy received since it was announced that he was on the casualty list.

BX May 13, 1915

There was apparently a mistake in the announcement that Private Albert Teague had not been wounded. Official word has been received from Ottawa and from Pte. Teague himself, stating that he was wounded and taken to the hospital, where he is doing very well. In reporting that he had been wounded he said, “I am in the hospital, wounded, but not very seriously. Still we go what we went after.”

BX November 3, 1917

Returned Invalided Soldiers

In all probability the following men will leave for Brantford on Sunday next, the 4th inst.: R.W. Brooks, 21 Ontario Street; H.E. Freeman, General Delivery; H. Kneller, General Delivery; A.S. Teague, 154 Elgin Street.

BX May 31, 1939

Albert Teague

Albert Teague passed away on Tuesday evening at his residence, 178 Marlborough Street, after a lingering illness, Mr. Teague was born in England and came to this City thirty-three years ago. He served during the Great War with the Mad Fourth Battalion. Returning he engaged in the grocery business in which he continued until the time of his death. He was a member of Excelsior Lodge, I.O.O.F., Hamilton and of St. Luke’s Anglican Church here. Besides his sorrowing widow he leaves to mourn his loss, one son, Alfred R., City, one daughter, Miriam, at home; his father, Alfred James Teague; one brother, Wilfred, one sister, Mrs. Fred Harrington, and two grandchildren, Dorothy and Richard, all of this City. The deceased will rest at his late residence until Friday afternoon when the funeral service will be held with interment in Greenwood Cemetery.

BX June 3, 1939

Albert Teague

The funeral service for Albert Teague was conducted yesterday afternoon from his residence, 278 Marlborough Street. Rev. R.W. Lane, Rector of St. Paul’s Anglican Church officiated at the service. The large gathering of relatives and friends and the profusion of flowers marked the esteem in which the deceased was held. A group of fellow comrades of “the Mad Fourth” Battalion formed a Guard of Honor at the home. The pallbearers acting at the home were Harry Meates, J. Percival, W. Jones, W. Davey, A. Leach and A. Cass. At Greenwood Cemetery were interment was made, comrades of his battalion acted as pallbearers. These were H. Smith, P. Hawley, P.R. Gillingwater, W. Bingham, E. Mercer and S. Kemp. Last Post was sounded by Bugler P. Gillingwater.