Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

WH Gliddon Rifle Brigade


Bigsie

Recommended Posts

Hello, I am trying to research my grandfather who was known as Bill. My family had told me he was from Bermondsey, London and was in the Rifle Corps or Rifle Brigade. I believe his service number was 47756. I believe he was wounded three times finally with a head wound requiring a silver plate so family history suggests. He was one of three brothers that fought and all came home, though the other two were gassed. Is there any further information available out there?

 

I have been told he fought at Passchendaele. His eldest son Norman went into the KRRC in WW2.

 

 

Thanks for any help

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the forum

47756 seems to have been from Brixham, Devon. Checking to see if there is a Bermondsey connection. Previously 15415 Devon Regiment. Served overseas from 14/4/15. Discharged 1/1/19. Medal roll shows 2nd battalion Devons and Rifle Brigade Depot

There are a couple of pension cards. They give post war addresses in Devon for 47756. This man received a GSW (bullent or shrapnel wound) to the chest. One of the cards mention a widow E Gliddon. But it is noted the man is still alive.

47756 is William Henry Gliddon. One card indicate born 1873 and suggests a discharge date of 19/10/18

The Silver War Badge given to soldiers discharged unfit indicates service from 16/1/15-1/1/19. 

Think we need to verify your information is correct. What were his brothers' names and do you have a year of birth for Norman his son?

 

Edited by Mark1959
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't find a single WH Gliddon being born outside the South West between 1870 and 1900.

There are none in London in the 1911 census except a Wokingham born Police Officer, W Gliddon in St Pancras.

Edited by sadbrewer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a Gliddon family living in Bernondsey in 1911

Parents Norman and Mary (or May)

Children: Helen. Edith, Ernest (15 - WW1 in London Regt and are surviving documents), Mark (13) (there are few possible soldiers that he could be), William (10), Winifred, Robert, Edward.

1901 shows an elder sister Dorothy. If this William suugest a birth date of 1900/1901 which appears a bit late for the details given. Mark and Ernest would have been old enough

More info from Bigsie required. 

edit

Reading between the lines Mark Stephen Gliddon served in the 12 Battalion East Surrey Regiment (as well as the Herts Regiment). The 12th is the Bermondsey Battalion. He appears to be the Mark from this family

I can also find a Norman SE Gliddon son it seems of Beatrice and Norman William; he is born in 1926

 

 

Edited by Mark1959
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Norman W Gliddon married Beatrice Leek in Bermondsey 1923, the 1926 birth registration of Norman SE carrying that mothers maiden name.

 

Norman William Gliddon, son of Norman Octavius & Mary Gliddon was baptised 30th April 1901 at St Hughs, Bermondsey. The register also gives a date of 18th June 1900 in the column for clergymans name & this is usually the DOB. This dob matches with the age of William on the 1911 census, which was filled in by the householder, so the name he was known by may have been recorded.

 

From April 1918 soldiers officialy did not go overseas until 18 & a half yrs old (if 6 months training completed), so if Norman W. waited for his call up, and all went according to rules & regs, with a dob of June 1900, he may not have gone overseas before the armistice in Nov 1918.

 

However as bigsie in the OP mentions wounds & Passchendaele, if they relate to his grandfather Bill, rather than his brothers, then maybe he joined up underage possibly with a name change.

Edited by travers61
amend text
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely astounded by these responses, such much knowledge and support - thank you so much to all, really appreciated.

 

There is a Gliddon family living in Bernondsey in 1911

Parents Norman and Mary (or May)

Children: Helen. Edith, Ernest (15 - WW1 in London Regt and are surviving documents), Mark (13) (there are few possible soldiers that he could be), William (10), Winifred, Robert, Edward.

1901 shows an elder sister Dorothy. If this William suugest a birth date of 1900/1901 which appears a bit late for the details given. Mark and Ernest would have been old enough

More info from Bigsie required. 

edit

Reading between the lines Mark Stephen Gliddon served in the 12 Battalion East Surrey Regiment (as well as the Herts Regiment). The 12th is the Bermondsey Battalion. He appears to be the Mark from this family

I can also find a Norman SE Gliddon son it seems of Beatrice and Norman William; he is born in 1926

 

That's the family! I remember Uncle Mark and Uncle Ernie and have the photos of them all including Aunty Edith and Aunt Dot (who married Corporal Charlie Pratt who I have a photo of in uniform Queens Royal West Surrey, 11th Service Battalion Lambeth) from my distant childhood. My mother told me that her father (he was know as Bill) signed up underage but I never believed it, he was wounded in the head by shrapnel apparently. Maybe he signed up using his fathers name, supposedly Rifle Corps though but no more detail.

 

My uncle Norman (KRRC) SE Gliddon (KRRC) son of Beatrice and Norman William; born in 1926 was a hero to me, miss him still to this day.

 

I'll dig out what photos I have and post soon.

 

Many thanks,

 

Edited by Bigsie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bigsie - that is great. Now we know we are on the right track we can see if there are more records out there. If he did use an alias then it is going to be difficult. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if he used his fathers name Norman? I'll get the album out this weekend and see what I have. My grandad did suffer after war though, as many did. My mother tells stories of him hiding at the end of the garden under a cape and episodes where he would be throwing grenades in the middle of the night. 

 

Thanks once again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For interest only from ancestry online trees to give the West Country link, Norman William's grandfather, Alfred Gliddon is given as born c1835 at Tourpoint/Anthony, Cornwall, and living in London by 1871.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 years later...

Finally found a picture of my grandfather. Believed to by 16 years old, William Norman Gliddon, Rifle Brigade but no further info. I still assume he signed up under a false name.

John

Bill Gliddon.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...