225581 Pte. Albert Sambucci British Army 11th Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment from:Brighton (d.3rd Jun 1916) My grandad Albert Sambucci was just 23 when he died near Cambrin, France. He is buried in Cambrin Church extension cemetery. Prior to enlistment he was working in the family ice cream business in Brighton. His family had come from Italy in the early 1800s. He was married and had a son, Loreto, who was only two when his dad was killed. He also had a baby daughter, Philomena, who was born after his departure for France so he never saw her.
His letters speak of the cold and lice-ridden blankets. He also mentioned being made a bomber and trench raids. He said on one occasion it took him 2.5 hours to cover 120 yards from no mans land back to his trench. His last letter written just two days before his death said he was in the pink and hopeful of some leave. On the day that he was killed the Battalion diary states that three other ranks were killed when Sap15 was blown in, then an hour later two other ranks were shot by sniper fire, so we do not know the circumstances of his last moments.
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