Albert Henry Tucker was born on 26 April, 1896, at Stoke Newington, in Middlesex (London), the youngest of ten children to Charles Tucker, a cabinet maker, and Mary Grant Tucker (formerly Cudmore). He was baptised on 19 August, 1896, at St. Stephen's Church, in Canonbury, Middlesex, when the family lived at 16 Baxter Road. He had four brothers and four sisters: Charles (1878); Edith Mary (1880); John (1881); Margaret (1883); Arthur Thomas (1884); Frank Grant (1885); Elizabeth Jane (1887); Alice Emma (1890); and Agnes (1891).

By 1891 the family was living at 1 Richmond Grove in Islington, and ten years later at 14 Baxter Road.

By 1911 the family was living at 34 Lidfield Road, in Stoke Newington, with the 14-year-old Albert Henry employed as a warehouse assistant. The family continued to live at that address and Albert remained unmarried.

[His brother Arthur Thomas enlisted in the Royal Navy at the age of 16, and served at the battle of Jutland. His brother Frank Grant served with the 7th and 9th Battalions of the London Regiment until he transferred into the Labour Corps.]

Albert Henry Tucker's service record has not survived, and what is known has been extrapolated from other sources.

He enlisted at London, joining the 2/5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade), London Regiment (Territorial Force), as a rifleman, no. 695. The battalion was formed at London in September, 1914. In the November it joined the 174th Brigade in the 58th Division, and remained in England until it embarked at Southampton on 24 January, 1917.

Rifleman Tucker was appointed unpaid lance corporal on 25 December, 1915, and to paid lance corporal on 6 December. By the time he disembarked in France, with his battalion, on 25 January, 1917, he had been promoted to serjeant. When the Territorial Force issued new numbers his became 300508.

By the end of January, 1917, the battalion had arrived at Rougefay, and in February it went into trenches at Fonquevillers for instruction and then withdrew to Souastre. It then took over the trenches at Fonquevillers for seven days before withdrawing again to Souastre, having suffered its first casualties, and took over the line at Bailleulval in March.

It then withdrew to Pommier and in April moved to Bihucourt where it spent time repairing roads and training.

In the middle of May it moved to Mory, and on 15 May it moved to Ecoust St. Mein, in readiness for the attack at Bullecourt.

On 17 May the battalion attacked the eastern part of Bullecourt and took all its objectives and took over the village. When it was relieved on the night of 18 May, it had suffered one officer killed and 3 wounded, with 11 other ranks killed, and 33 wounded.

It returned to Mory, and remained, rotating through the same locations into June, training at Mory and provided working parties.

By the middle of June it was in the trenches in the Croisilles sector, and on 17 June entered the Hindenburg Line, suffering 3 officers wounded, and 11 other ranks killed, and 21 wounded. Over the next two days it suffered a further 4 officers wounded, with 17 other ranks killed, and 53 wounded. The battalion then withdrew to St. Leger and then to Courcelles where it carried out training.

In July, 1917, the battalion moved to Equancourt, went into the line at Beaucamp, and then went into reserve at Ytres.

It then spent time in the trenches at Trescault before moving to Berneville, where it remained until 24 August, when it entrained to eventually arrive at Poperinghe, in Belgium, and went into reserve at Reigersburg, in the Ypres sector.

On 8 September, 1917, the battalion moved into the line north of St. Julien, for four days, and then moved to dugouts on the Canal Bank, and then to Dambre Camp, north of Vlamertinghe. Six days later it moved back to Reigersburg and then back into the line at St. Julien.

At 5.40 am on 20 September, the battalion mounted an attack in the vicinity of Hubner Farm, and was met by an enemy barrage. There was difficulty in keeping direction due to the nature of the country and casualties among the officers. 'A' and 'B' Companies casualties occurred before reaching Hubner Trench: 'A' Company lost all 3 officers and 'B' Company lost 2. After the objective was reached the position was consolidated in an irregular line of shell-holes. A number of counter-attacks were beaten off. The battalion suffered 9 officers killed and 2 wounded, with 52 other ranks killed, 162 wounded, and 25 missing. Serjeant Tucker appears to have survived unscathed.

The battalion then withdrew to Reigersburg and then back to Brake Camp. After refitting and reorganising it entrained and reached billets at Licques. The battalion remained at Licques until 20 October, when it moved to Poperinghe, and then to Siege Camp.

On 26 October it received orders to march to dug-outs on the Canal Bank, from where it provided working parties in the forward area, which caused 20 killed and 20 wounded. It then received orders to move to Kempton Park on the night of 29 October and take up position as counter-attack battalion for the attack on 30 October.

Zero hour was at 5.50 am on 30 October, the battalion moved to Pheasant Farm in the Poelcappelle area and took up position in shell-holes, It was very cold and wet with the ground in a very bad condition.

At 5.00 pm orders were received to take over the line from the two forward battalions after their attack, and send out strong patrols to clear up, but the situation was still obscure. The relief proceeded but it was found that the enemy still occupied four positions. The day had cost one officer wounded, 30 other ranks killed and 20 wounded.

On 31 October 'A' Company was ordered to push out a patrol, which was fired upon. The enemy position was attacked by 'D' Company supported by 'A' Company. The ground was very bad which made movement difficult, and both companies met strong opposition from machine guns in a line of fortified shell-holes. They suffered an number of casualties, although two men reached the post and killed 3 Germans before being driven back and the party withdrew. 'A' Company was then held up by a heavy barrage. Patrols sent out to locate the wounded after the attack reported that the enemy had reinforced and the positions were strongly held. The battalion was relieved that night, having lost a further one officer wounded and missing, with 8 other ranks killed, 10 wounded, one wounded and missing and 4 missing.

Serjeant Albert Henry Tucker was killed in action at Poelcappelle on 31 October, 1917. He was aged 21.

Having no known grave Albert Henry Tucker is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. His name has not been identified on any local war memorial. [There is an 'A. Tucker' on the Stoke Newington war memorial, but it is believed that is another man who served in the London Regiment.]

Albert Henry Tucker's service earned him the British War Medal, 1914-20; and Victory Medal, 1914-19.