22612 A/Sgt Albert F Ouzman, 7th Bn, Lincs Regt

22612 Acting Sergeant Albert Frederick Ouzman of the 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died of wounds on the 18th June 1918. He was born in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, and enlisted at Spilsby in Lincolnshire. He was 26 years old, the son of George and Eveline Ouzman of Spilsby, and the husband of Laura Ouzman, of The Lilacs, Reynard Street, Spilsby. He is buried in Niederzwehren in Germany. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission writes:

"The cemetery was begun by the Germans in 1915 for the burial of prisoners of war who died at the local camp. During the war almost 3,000 Allied soldiers and civilians, including French, Russian and Commonwealth, were buried there In 1922-23 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries. Niederzwehren was one of those chosen and in the following four years, more than 1,500 graves were brought into the cemetery from 190 burial grounds in Baden, Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse and Saxony. There are now 1,796 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in the Commonwealth plot at Niederzwehren. This total includes special memorials to 13 casualties buried in other cemeteries in Germany whose graves could not be found."

Albert's service record survives and there is also an entry about him in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour. It reads:

OUZMAN, ALBERT FREDERICK, Sergt, No 22612, 7th (Service) Battn, The Lincolnshire Regt, s[on] of George Ouzman of Simpson Street, Spilsby, Metal Merchant, by his wife Evalina, dau[ghter] of John and Eliza Wilkins of Wells, co[unty] Somerset; b[orn] Long Eaton, co[unty] Derby, 10 June 1892; educ[ated] Spilsby; was a metal merchant; enlisted 7 April 1916, served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 24 July following, and died at Cassel, Germany, 14 June 1918, from wounds received in action during the 21 March previously, when he was taken prisoner. Buried in the Cassel Camp Cemetery. He m[arried] at East Keal near Spilsby, 21 June 1915, Laura (Reynard Street, Spilsby), dau[ghter] of Joseph (and Sussanah) Meers, and had a dau[ghter], Sybil Winifred May, b[orn] 18 March 1916.

Albert's service record notes that he originally attested on the 17th November 1915, possibly under the Derby Scheme, and was called up on the 9th April 1916. His number is noted as 9/22612 and his home address given as Queen Street, Spilsby. Albert's occupation is recorded as storeman, and the date of his wound given as 24th March 1918.

Albert set sail from Folkestone on the 24th July 1916 and arrived at Boulogne the following day. He proceeded to the 9th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples the same day and was posted to the 8th Battalion of the The Lincolnshire Regiment. On the 16th August he was posted to the 7th Battalion. His service record is a little unclear in places due to water damage but he was first appointed lance-corporal, then promoted to corporal on the 11th May 1917. He was appointed paid lance-sergeant on the 31st August 1917 and appointed paid acting sergeant on the 26th January 1918.

There is a report in Albert's file giving details of his death. He had received a gunshot wound in his back and died of "Suppurative Pleurisy". His date of capture is noted as the 25th March 1918 at Le Transloy and his date of admission at Camp Cassel, Niederzwehren as the 30th April that year. His relatives were notified of his death on the 15th June 1918. His parents' names and address, and his wife's name and address are all recorded.

In March 1919, the Pensions' Office wrote to Laura Ouzman advising her that she had been awarded a weekly pension of 22 shillings and eleven pence for herself and her daughter

On 14th September 1922, three days after receiving Albert's British War and Victory medals, Laura Ouzman wrote to the Officer in Charge of Records at Lichfield asking if her late husband's memorial scroll could also be sent to her. There is no recorded reply.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission