Jordan | Albert Leslie
Biography
Son of William and Mary Ann Jordan.
Husband of Mary Agnes Jordan. Father of five children: Maureen, Dorothy, Malcolm, Roger and Lesley.
Three of his children visited his grave in infancy, along with Annie and Frits Verhees.
In 2019, his children Maureen and Malcolm, along with granddaughters Melanie and Julie visited his grave at Overloon War Cemetery during the 75th commemoration.
Private Albert Jordan served with the Royal Norfolk Regiment. When he enlisted is currently unknown.
Via Normandy, northern France and Belgium, the Norfolks made it to the Netherlands in 1944, where the regiment would be deployed in the battle for Overloon and Venray, the first phase of the capture of the German bridgehead of Venlo.
Before reaching Overloon, the Norfolks were billeted in Helmond. Albert Jordan stayed in the vegetable and fruit shop of the van der Zanden family. From here Albert had the last contact with his family. After the war, ties with this family were strengthened and his family made several visits to Overloon and the van der Zanden family. In particular, there was much contact with daughter Annie, who had meanwhile married Frits Verhees.
After Overloon was liberated with great difficulty on 13 October, the British were immediately faced with a new assignment: from Overloon to capture the front area towards the Loobeek (Molenbeek) so that the British could then advance towards Venray. It is a difficult task, as the British have to advance towards the Loobeek across open ground and they know that this is precisely where the Germans can maximise their defensive strength and firepower. The hard fighting towards the Loobeek, the fierce German opposition and their constant shelling, cost many Norfolks their lives.
On his way to a command post on 15 October, Private Albert Jordan accompanied Major J.P.C. Searight and showed him the way through the dangerous terrain near the Molenbeek, with the enemy in sight. Major Searight reached the command post safely but later learned that Private Albert Jordan had been killed on the way back to battalion headquarters. While sheltering under bushes near the Molenbeek, he was killed by shrapnel.
Family pictures
