SOLDIERS OF THE GREAT WAR - PRIVATE W. GUMBLETON

WAR MEMORIAL  ROLL of HONOUR SOLDIERS KILLED IN ACTION SOLDIERS WHO RETURNED INDEX

 

THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

SOMME, FRANCE

Private William Gumbleton is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial and his name can be found on Panel 13A

73,000 soldiers died between July 1915 and March 1918 who have no known grave.

Their names are on the Thiepval Memorial. A high proportion of the names are of soldiers who died on 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

 

 

PRIVATE WILLIAM GEORGE GUMBLETON, 23662, 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
born 1891 at Eyeworth, Hampshire, the son of Harry and Elizabeth Gumbleton.

The following comes from the records of the Wiltshire Regiment.

Enlisted in Salisbury

23rd July 1916 embarked Southampton

30th July 1916 joined Battalion as re-enforcements from Rouen

18th October 1916 Killed in Action

Medals: Wiltshire War and Victory Medals, Roll date 01/15/1920, Sheet 625

Remembered with Honour at THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

 

Extract from the 2nd WILTSHIRE REGIMENT WAR DIARIES

2nd Wiltshire Wednesday 18th October 1916 France, Trenches

"The artillery shelled heavily the enemy positions until 2.40am when the bombardment was intense. Previous to this hour C &D coys were formed up in waves, each company having two platoons in the first wave and two in the second wave. Both of these were in advance of the front line . A coy formed the third wave, lying behind the parados of our front line, and B coy were ready to move up from support line.
At 3.40am the 21st Brigade attacked, the 2nd Wilts on the left, the 18th Kings L'pools in the centre and the 2nd Yorks on the right, with the 19th Manchesters in support. Very little information forthcoming. Apparently C & D coys reached their objectives but failed to take them. 2/LT EW WARE wounded and missing, 2/LT SG HINE wounded; LT FN VERRAN and 2/LT DI LYALL missing, all of D company. 2/LT EB GARNETT missing, 2/LT IC TRENCH, VW VENABLES, AEL CRAVEN wounded, all of C coy. A coy advanced but were held up by wire and were eventually driven back. 2/LTS HT Newton and HL REEVES wounded. B coy advanced but lost direction and part of the coy under Capt VH CLAY crossed the SUNKEN ROAD and got into the first German lines. They bombed up a communication trench , but were driven back before a block could be made.
They again bombed up the trench but were again driven back on account with shortage in bombs. On being reinforced by the Camerons of the 26th Brigade 9th Division this trench was captured and a block made. The first line trench captured in conjunction with the 9th Divn, of which we held a part, and was consolidated. Capt VH CLAY was killed during the consolidation, and 2/Lt JH THOMPSON was killed during the advance. 2/Lt EA CARRINGTON volunteered to seek information as regards the position of our companies some while after the attack started.
He did not return and parties sent in search afterwards found no trace of him. 2/LT RL SCULLY who acted as liaison officer was buried by a shell and consequently had to be sent down suffering from the shock. Information did not arrive and it was understood that the attack had failed on the whole of the 21st Brigade front but that the 9th Division had gained all their objectives.
Our estimated casualty report read: 14 officers 350 other ranks. The remainder of the Battalion held the old British front line from the SUNKEN ROAD to the junction of TURKLANE and FRONTLINE. The trenches were by this time in an appalling state owing to the bad weather. The 19th Manchester Regt took over the front line from TURKLANE to the right."
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