Person    | Male  Born 1896  Died 25/2/1919

Bus conductor, resident of Festing Road, killed in WW1.

We have tried researching Albert Biscoe whom The Putney Society has laid a paving stone to commemorate him and three other residents in Festing Road, Putney. The paving stone claims he was a bus conductor living at 3 Festing Road, London, SW15 but their website that lists them all gives no more information about him, whereas for the other three, they show roughly when they died and where they were buried. Our research did trace an Albert Edward Biscoe, a motor bus conductor who lived at 2 Festing Road, Putney for a few years before the outbreak of the war, but he did not die until 1951. Are we confusing him with his son, Frederick Albert Biscoe, who on the 1911 census was a builder’s clerk living at 2 Festing Road, with his parents, two brothers and a sister. He joined the Royal Air Force and ‘Died in the Field’ on 25 February 1919. As his father was later recorded in 1923 as an Omnibus Inspector, is it possible that he had obtained a post of a bus conductor for his son before the son went off to war? Albert Edward Biscoe and his wife were by now living at 30 Lewin Road, East Sheen, but is it again possible that his son was boarding at 3 Festing Road, Putney? We have not been able to confirm either of these points. On the basis that the son is the correct man for the plaque his life résumé is:-

Frederick Albert Biscoe was born in Forest Hill, Kent and his birth was recorded in the 3^rd quarter of 1896 in the Lewisham registration district. He was the eldest of the four children of Albert Edward Biscoe (1872-1951) and Emily Jane Biscoe née Webb (1867-1947). His father was a motor bus conductor. Electoral registers from 1908 to 1910 show his father at 2 Festing Road, Putney and the 1911 census shows him living with his parents and three younger siblings at 2 Festing Road. His occupation was recorded as a builder’s clerk.

On 4 August 1915 he enlisted in the armed forces eventually gaining the rank of Leading Aircraftsman acting Corporal, in the Royal Air Force. His service number was 7443 and whilst serving he was awarded a Military Medal. He was attached to No.5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, which after the armistice on 11 November 1918 formed part of the occupying forces in Germany. He is recorded as ‘Died in the Field’, aged 22 years, on 25 February 1919 and was buried in Plot XII, Row C, Grave 26 in the Cologne Southern Cemetery, Sudfriedhof Koln, Honinger Platz, 50969 Cologne, Germany. His father was sent his effects, including a £20 war gratuity, totalling £32-6s-4d on 25 September 1919 followed by a further £4-7s-4d on 10 December 1919.

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