Jock Bruce Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Rather than hijack Boreenatra's thread about claims to fame, I thought I would start one on slightly different track. I came across this indivdual recently. Can anybody offer a man with more varied military service ? Capt Reginald Cecil Chessney De Ville 1872 - born (son of a general) 1889 - 1895: RMLI, Sgt 1895: Prospector of Mines, South Africa 1896: Lieutenant of Gwelo Garrison, Rhodesia 1897 - 1900: Chinese Police, Inspector 1901 - 02: Imperial Yeomanry, Sgt Maj 1902 - 03: Ship's Officer 1904: Touring Japan 1905 - 14: Legion of Frontiersmen, Capt & Sqn Ldr 1911: Mexican Army, Lieutenant 1913: Bulgarian Army, Lieutenant 1914 -15: ASC Remounts, BEF Cpl (RTS/3582) 9 Feb 15: Commissioned in 9 Beds, later 2 (HS) Garrison Bn, Northants and 13 Bn, RDC Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Led a bit of a sheltered life then ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_59 Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 as the son of a general, why did he join the RMLI as a Sgt? dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 (edited) AND what happens after 1915 ....? Great name too .. De Ville. DE VILLE, ARCHIBALD HUGH Private 2560 13/05/1915 23 Leicestershire Yeomanry United Kingdom Panel 5. YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL 2 DE VILLE, C A Second Lieutenant 20/07/1918 0 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) United Kingdom II. H. 6. MARFAUX BRITISH CEMETERY 3 DE VILLE, PERCY Rifleman 26/759 18/07/1916 0 New Zealand Rifle Brigade New Zealand II. E. 9. BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (NORD) 4 DE VILLE, PERCY ROBINSON Private 31587 04/05/1917 41 York and Lancaster Regiment United Kingdom I. H. 6. BAILLEUL ROAD EAST CEMETERY, ST. LAURENT-BLANGY 5 DE VILLE, W Gunner 53461 27/07/1917 23 Royal Garrison Artillery United Kingdom III. C. 5. HAGLE DUMP CEMETERY Edited 24 May , 2005 by Desmond7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 24 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Dave, no idea - drink? women? debt? Kipling knew the type Gentlemen Rankers Jock as the son of a general, why did he join the RMLI as a Sgt? dave <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 24 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Des, Dunno - it is very tempting to follow up on this guy, but I'm resisting temptation. Jock AND what happens after 1915 ....? Great name too .. De Ville. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 AND what happens after 1915 ....? Great name too .. De Ville. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Seems to have seen them all off, as well. None listed under WW2 at CWGC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Dave, no idea - drink? women? debt? Kipling knew the type Gentlemen Rankers Jock <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the link, Jock. Any idea what the "curse of Reuben" is? Phil B Quote:-Our pride it is to know no spur of pride, And the Curse of Reuben holds us till an alien turf enfolds us And we die, and none can tell Them where we died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 He is not shown in The Cross of Sacrifice Officers Died Vol 1 There is one DeVILLE Charles Arthur 2nd Lt 2/5 W Yorks kia 20.8.17 Marfaux British Cemetery Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Oh I see Des has already posted this man !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 (edited) Reuben -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Firstborn son of Jacob and Leah and father of the tribe of Reuben and one of the twelve tribes of Israel. His name comes from the Hebrew meaning: "Look, a son." He appears in the story of the mandrakes as the one giving them to his mother (Genesis 30:14). Reuben has relations with Jacob's concubine Bilhah, angering Jacob and probably contributing to the curse of Reuben on Jacob's deathbed (Genesis 49:4). He succeeded in convincing his brothers not to kill Joseph but to trap him inside of a pit instead (Genesis 37:22). Later, when the family journeys to Egypt during the famine, he attempts to persuade his father that he should take responsibility for Benjamin while in Egypt (Genesis 42:37). The tribe of Reuben settled west of the Jordan River and agreed to join the other tribes in the war against the Philistines. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources: Bridger, David. Ed. The New Jewish Encyclopedia, NY: Behrman House, 1976; Navigating the Bible II AND Reuben was ready, notice, at the end to sacrifice his sons - not himself. That is the man Reuben had become. "Slay my two sons if I don't bring Benjamin back," he says to his father. Is this Kipling beating himself up? Edited 25 May , 2005 by Desmond7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 It`s a confusing story, Des. I`ve found it summed up as:- "The curse of unconfessed and unforgiven sin was upon him, and he knew it not" I get the impression that "lying" with the wrong woman was the cause of most gentleman rankers problems! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 25 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2005 A little more on De Ville - 11 Sep 19 Relinquished his RDC commission on ceasing to be employed. Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LF Historian Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 The Legion in the UK between 1904-1914 had a number of units one of the largest being the London Command under Lt Col D P Driscoll DSO. Capt Chesney De Ville is listed in Legion records from 1912 as being under the London Command with his task being that of the unit Intelligence Officer. The history of the Legion is full of men like De Ville whom had seen service all over the world. Regards LF Historian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 11 June , 2005 Share Posted 11 June , 2005 i think he just likes uniforms,he may have been collared by the bobbys in 1915 in a nurses uniform bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LF Historian Posted 13 June , 2005 Share Posted 13 June , 2005 Jock Bruce another member of the Legion like De Ville was Major Collier-Gates. He served in the Egypt, Canada, Cuba, China, the Boer War, Somaliland, Natal, World War 1 and World War 2 (Civil Defence) his medals are: Egypt Medal 1882 Khedives Star 1882 Khedives Sudan Medal 1898 NW Canada Medal 1885 Cuba Medal 1898 (USA) China Medal 1900 Queens Medal South Africa Medal 1900/02 Kings Medal South Africa 1901/02 African General Service "Somaliland" 1902 Natal 1906 (Zulu Rising) 1914 Star British War Medal Allied Victory Medal Defence Medal 1939/45 Order of St John (German) Order of Osmanieh (Turkey) Order of Madjidieh (Turkey) Legion of Honour (France) Medaille Militarie (France) Croix de Guerre (France) Medal of Honour, Life saving (France) Order of St George (Russia) Order of the Crown (Roumania) Croix de Guerre (Belgium) Military Medal (Belgium) Military Order of William (Netherlands) Life Saving Medal (Sweden) Medal for Bravery (Serbia) Regards LF Historian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Pattenden Posted 13 June , 2005 Share Posted 13 June , 2005 Was he also known as Lance Corporal Jones by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LF Historian Posted 14 June , 2005 Share Posted 14 June , 2005 Major Collier-Gates served in the Boer War with Rimington's Scouts and Strathcona Horse. He then served on HMS Terrible in China he returned to South Africa and served in Somaliland and Natal. During WW1 he was a member of the Royal Flying Corps, his WW2 service was in the ARP/Civil Defence. If any members can add to these details could they please post such. LF Historian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Johnson Posted 14 June , 2005 Share Posted 14 June , 2005 Dave, no idea - drink? women? debt? My kinda man! I hope he had a wonderful time and a happy ending! PAUL J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LF Historian Posted 15 June , 2005 Share Posted 15 June , 2005 Paul, He passed away in 1951. The above picture of him was taken while he was on a Legion parade. Below is a photo of his medal group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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