Francis Herbert Gautier. Source: SGCT.
Albert Gautier gave his age as 19 when he enlisted in February 1915 but was in fact only 17. He was one of the estimated 250,000 under eighteens who served in the First World War. Needing volunteers, the War Office turned a blind eye: birth certificates were not required. Albert was killed in action at Ypres 9th August of the same year, having been in France with the York and Lancs 1st Battalion since 6th June. His father, Francis, a police sergeant, had fought in the Boer War as a reservist. He volunteered in 1914 and was serving in France in September 1915. He is buried in the Cemetery because he was invalided back to the UK with stomach cancer. He died in June 1916. Another son, Wilfred, joined up after the war was over. Tragically, he too was killed, aged 16, in a training accident, in 1921 They are commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Screen Wall near the Montague Street entrance to the cemetery, Francis and Wilfred were buried in plot R1 9, Anglican area. The stone is lost.
You can read more about those who died in the First World War who are commemorated in the Cemetery in the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust’s publication A Life Too Soon Done.