Albert was born on 2 December 1903, the fourth child of William John and Emily (née Miller) Porter, who had been married in the 4Q 1891. With a son from her first marriage, William Sansom (1889) then John (1893), Edward (1896), Charles (1898), George (1900) and Frederick (1907) completed the family unit living at 56, Langley Road, Portsmouth. William, his elder half brother also entered the Royal Navy as William Henry Sansom an Officer’s Steward, serving from 1911 to 1945. In 1921 the family were still living at 56, Langley Road.

Albert enlisted when he walked up the gangway of HMS IMPREGNABLE, the “Boy Training Ship” in Devonport dockyard, on 9 August 1920 aged 16 years and 8 months as a Boy Second Class. On 11 March 1921 he was rated up to Boy First Class and completed basic training on 2 August 1921. He received a draft to HMS DOLPHIN on 3 August for a 2 month submarine training course before moving on to HMS MAIDSTONE based in Chatham on 13 October 1921 where he joined HMS H42. On the 21 December with time served he was rated up to Ordinary Seaman.

H42 sank on the 23 March 1922 a few miles South of Europa Point, Gibraltar after a high speed collision with another warship with the loss of all of her 26 man crew.

Ordinary Seaman Albert Ernest Porter was one of those who crossed the bar that day.