His father was a regular soldier in the Royal Artillery a fact that was to influence Albert himself in later years. His mother was a ladies maid with a very well to do family, but because his father was under the age of 25 and did not have the army's permission to marry, things proved to be difficult.

Before the 2^nd World War things improved and the family grew.  Albert now had a sister, lived in various married quarters including India. They ended up in Colchester in 1936 when the Regiment gave up their horses and were equipped with evil smelling motor transport.

Albert won a scholarship to Colchester Royal Grammar School until another posting in

1938 took them to Putney, when his father was promoted to Sergeant Instructor to a

Territorial Regiment.

At the outbreak of war Albert who was attending Sloane Grammar School in Chelsea and

moved with the school, when it was evacuated to Addlestone in Surrey.

His father's regiment had gone to France with the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) and the rest of the family had had to move out of their quarters on Putney Hill. His father was reported missing at Dunkirk for some weeks before arriving back in this country along with a number of others in the Regiment.

In 1942 Albert went to Queens University Belfast, on a special entry course for prospective officers for the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. As was their wont

Albert was subsequently commissioned in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, a support

regiment and later transferred to the Royal Artillery. It was with the Artillery that Albert

took part in the invasion landings and the battle for Arnhem.

In 1945 Albert returned to the UK to train people for the war in the Far East, but ended up in Palestine as it was then.  He was attached to the Arab Legion in Trans Jordan until he was demobbed in 1948.

He explored many ways of earning a living with enterprises such as the Metropolitan Water Board, Ford Motor Co and the Ever Ready Battery Co.

Later, now married with two children, he  started a commercial insulating company with a colleague.

On retirement he drove a cab in London for 6 years before calling it a day and settling down full time in Devon where he had moved to in 1972.

In 1995 Albert suffered a traumatic experience when he collapsed and had his aorta arch

replaced with a plastic one and also had a pace maker fitted.

In the next months because of being introduced to a computer with the ease of obtaining information quickly, Albert became aware of the difficulties being experienced by others as well as himself with diminishing pension income and constant increasing calls on that income by such things as council tax and utility costs.

In 1999 Albert founded the Devon Pensioners Action Forum with 6 other enthusiasts.  It has now grown to just on 1000 members and is now recognised as the people to approach when dealing with the problems associated with retirement and old age.
 

All media sources know that the information acquired from DPAF is focused on improving the lot of the older person.

In 2004 Noel Edmonds presented Albert with the Determination Award for Local

Champions South West.  In April 2005 he was presented with the Living Legend Award for Campaigning by Lionel Blair on behalf of Help the Aged in association with BT.

Albert will be celebrating his 80 birthday - a week late - when he goes to the "Trooping of the Colour".  Albert has been invited by Tony and Cherie Blair to attend the trooping and a short reception afterwards.  I wonder if this is the prime Minister's way of keeping an eye on Albert? 
 

Albert says there is no doubt that when the adrenaline starts flowing anything can be

achieved.