Albert James Speed

Personnel header
Mr Albert James Speed
Life dates
11 Aug 1900 - 05 Dec 1964
Biography

Albert James Speed, known as both Bert and James to different people, was the local ironmonger. Being a rural area meant that he had a mobile shop visiting various properties as far as Lulworth, in addition to a shop at Bovington camp and later another at Wool.

He had been called up in World War One and having previously trained as a mechanic was due to serve as a dispatch rider, but developed influenza during the 1918 pandemic and never reached the front. Between the wars he was friendly with T E Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, who lived at Bovington in Clouds Hill Cottage. They shared a mutual interest in motorbikes.

He also experimented with crystal wireless sets with his brother. He was issued with a set of binoculars, 7x50, made by the New York based Optical, Film & Supply Co, but marked with British naval markings. Auxiliary Units were equipped with a good deal of US sourced equipment bought in 1940 using Britain’s gold reserves; this may have been part of such a purchase. Bert had no other naval links.

Postings
Unit or location Role Posted from until
Wool Outstation Operator Unknown 20 Jul 1944
National ID
WLJD 70/1
Occupation

Ironmonger and China Dealer

Address
4 Burton Close, Wool, Dorset
Other pictures
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References

Arthur Gabbitas,
Diana Parry,
Yoland Brown,
Roy Martin,
Alan Watson,
Alan Brown