Albert John Hastings

Gunner Albert John Hastings – Royal Artillery, 122 Field Regiment

Early Life

Albert John Hastings was born in 1917, the son of Samuel Johnson Hastings and Sarah Jane Hastings. Sarah was Samuel’s second wife, following the death of his first.

1921 Census

In the 1921 Census, the Hastings family was recorded at 14 Campbell Street, Mount Pleasant, Swansea. Samuel, aged 40 and born in Leicester, was employed as a Railway Shunter with the Swansea Harbour Trust, while Sarah, aged 36, managed the household.

The household included two older children from Samuel’s first marriage: Charles Arthur Thomas, aged 17, employed as an Engine Cleaner with the London & North Western Railway, and Annie Elizabeth, aged 16, who assisted Sarah with household duties.

The younger children were Beatrice Mary (8), Ernest George (7), and Lilian Rose (6), all attending school. Albert John, aged 4, and Robert Henry, a baby of just 7 months, were also listed.

Military Service

Albert John Hastings enlisted in the Royal Artillery and was posted as a Gunner with the 122 Field Regiment.

The regiment was a Territorial Army unit, originally part of the South Wales artillery formations, with many of its recruits drawn from Swansea and the surrounding areas. During the Second World War, the 122 Field Regiment was mobilised for active service and trained extensively in artillery operations, supporting infantry formations with medium and heavy firepower.

Field regiments such as the 122nd were typically equipped with the 25-pounder field gun, the backbone of British artillery, capable of both direct fire and long-range bombardment. They provided essential support in both defensive and offensive operations, often under dangerous conditions close to the front line.

Although the exact details of Albert’s personal postings remain unclear, the regiment undertook home defence and intensive training during the early years of the war, before preparing for deployment overseas. Tragically, Albert’s service ended before he could see extended combat, as he died in May 1943 at the North Wales Sanatorium while still serving with his unit.

Death

On 15^th May 1943, Gunner Albert John Hastings died at the North Wales Sanatorium, aged just 26.

Burial

Albert John Hastings
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Albert John Hastings was buried on the upper slopes of Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, a cemetery that holds the graves of both civilian and military dead from the two World Wars. His resting place, overlooking the city and its harbour, reflects both his Swansea roots and the community to which he belonged.

Legacy

South Wales Daily Post

The next surviving record of Albert’s life appears in the South Wales Daily Post, which published his death notice in 1943. His story reflects the sacrifices of Swansea families whose sons served in the Second World War, and his name is remembered among the men of the Royal Artillery who gave their lives for their country.