Gunner Albert Maurice Richard Sweetapple was born on 12 May 1896, the youngest of the five children of George John Sweetapple (1860-1944) and Maria Eliza Sweetapple née Curtis (1859-1933), his birth being registered in the 2nd quarter of 1896 in the Greenwich registration district. He was baptised on 29 July 1896 at St Paul's Church, Deptford, where the baptismal registers shows the family address to have been 16 Wolton Road, Deptford and that his father's occupation was recorded as a porter.
In the 1901 census he is recorded as living at 71 Amersham Vale, Deptford, with his parents and four siblings: George Laurence Sweetapple (1888-1964), Florence Elsie Sweetapple (1890-1964), Arthur Frank Sweetapple (1893-1947) and Walter James Sweetapple (1894-1956). His father was described as a nautical optician.
The 1911 census shows the whole family living at 71 Amersham Vale, New Cross, London, SE. He was recorded as a messenger for a brass and iron founders, whilst his father was now a manager at a nautical optician. His brothers had varying occupations: George was a bookbinder for a general printer, Arthur was a grocer's assistant and Walter was an auctioneer's clerk.
He and his brother, Walter, enlisted together in Lewisham as Gunners in the Royal Field Artillery. His service number was 45168 and his brother's service number was 45169. In the 1918 electoral registers he, along with his brothers, Walter and George, were shown on the absent voters list. Their home address was recorded as 149 Marsala Road, Lewisham. He and Walter were shown as Gunners in the Royal Garrison Artillery, whilst George was listed as a Private in the 1st County of London Yeomanry (Middlesex, Duke of Cambridge's Hussars).
He served in the 120 Heavy Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery and died of wounds after being gassed in France, aged 22 years, on 15 August 1918, his death being recorded in the 3rd quarter of 1918 in the Dover, Kent, registration district. He was buried on 21 August 1918 in Plot D, Grave 3202, at Ladywell Cemetery, 113 Brockley Grove, London SE4 1DZ where he is commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Screen Wall with the personal inscription that reads 'Oh death where is thy sting'.
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. He is also commemorated on the war memorial in St Mary the Virgin Church, 346 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6LE, in the London Borough of Lewisham War Memorial Wiki, and in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
