Pte 46144 Albert Nicholas Riozzie

• Age: 20
• From: Bolton, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 10th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Warlincourt Halte Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: VII.A.14

Albert Nicholas Riozzie was born in Bolton, Lancashire, on 24th June 1897. His parents Biagio (William) and Rose (nee McCoy) had 11 children, but, tragically, five died young. Albert was the third child, and second son, of the surviving six; he had siblings Francis, Annie, William, Anthony, and Phillip.

His father was born in Italy, and his mother in Liverpool; they married on 11^th January 1892 in Liverpool.

In 1901 they are living at 204 Kay Street, Bolton. His father is an ice cream manufacturer. Albert is 3 and his maternal grandmother Eliza McCoy is also in the household.

Albert was educated at St Francis Xavier's Roman Catholic school and was admitted to the school on 27th March 1907.

By the time of the 1911 Census, the family is at 4 Harper Street, Liverpool. His father, William is a 40 year old vitrol maker, born in Naples, his mother, Rose,is aged 36.  They have been married for 19 years and have had 11 children, six of whom have survived. All six surviving children are in the household; Francis is 18 and is a printer and stationer's assistant born in Liverpool, Annie is 16 and has no occupation shown she was also born in Liverpool, Albert is 13 he was born in Bolton and is at school, William is 11, he was also born in Bolton and is at school, Anthony is 7 he was born in Liverpool as was Phillip aged 2.

Albert enlisted in Liverpool, joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 46144 giving his next of kin as his father, Mr. W. Riozzie, 14 Burgess Street, London Road, Liverpool. He died of wounds on 10th April 1917, aged 20. 

He now rests at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery in France.  

The site of the cemetery was chosen in May 1916. It was used from June 1916 to May 1917 by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, in February 1917 by the 1/1st South Midland, and from April to June 1917 by the 32nd. The whole of plots VII, VIII, IX and X were filled in April and May 1917, the months of the Battles of Arras. From June 1917, the cemetery was practically unused until the fighting of May and June 1918, when field ambulances buried in it. After the Armistice the cemetery was increased by graves brought in from other smaller cemeteries.

The cemetery now contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 29 German and two French war graves.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

Albert earned the British War Medal and the Victory Medal

His brother Francis enlisted on 6^th November 1914 and served in the Army Service Corps in France and Salonika. He came home in September 1919.

Albert's mother died in 1922, age 46.

The family suffered a further loss when Albert's younger brother Anthony, age 36, died on 20th December 1940 during a blitz at Brocklebank Dock, and is counted among the Civilian War Dead. He is buried in Bootle Cemetery, son of W. Riozzie, 12 Bradville Road, Fazackerley, and husband of D. Riozzie, 3 Castor Street, Belmont Road, Liverpool.

His father lived long enough to lose a son in both the World Wars, and died in 1957 at the age of 86.

Albert is remembered on the family grave in Ford Cemetery, Liverpool, along with his parents, Rose and William.

“Albert, beloved son of the above, who was killed in action in France on  April  10 1917 aged 20 years”

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