John S Posted 16 December , 2005 Share Posted 16 December , 2005 Trying to trace movements of 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry and Lt Gamble. Particularly where he received the wounds from which he died on 22 May 1916. He was aged 22 and is buried at Lijssenthoek. Many thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David T Posted 16 December , 2005 Share Posted 16 December , 2005 Trying to trace movements of 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry and Lt Gamble. Particularly where he received the wounds from which he died on 22 May 1916. He was aged 22 and is buried at Lijssenthoek. Many thanks John You must be talking of Lieut John Walcote Gamble, a 2nd Battalion, DLI officer who served with its sister 14th Battalion. If so and you are not already aware of it, his field correspondence book is held at the Durham Record Office - you'll get the up-to-date reference number(s) from a search of the DLI database - and there's a weighty collection of material emanating from him, including diary and letters, in the Liddle Collection held by the Special Collections Section at Leeds University - GS 0603 (Gamble). I've used several of his notes and letters in an unpublished manuscript on the DLI during the First World War, which I'd be happy to collate for you if you don't already have much to go on. Gamble hailed from Derby and he embarked for France on 9 October 1915. He was wounded on or about 7 January 1916 but, at the end of that month, a Medical Board passed him fit for service. His last letter home, dated 17 May 1916, was very short as conditions did not allow him to write more, On 22 May, Lieut-Col. G. F. Menzies wrote to Gamble's Mother, to inform her of her son's death, by a sniper's bullet. I'm afraid I don't have details of where the 14th Battalion was at the time Gamble was killed but I'm reasonably sure it was in the Ypres Salient. About a month before his death, the battalion was on the extreme left of the British line and Gamble was the Liaison Officer with the adjoining French unit. I've no reason to believe the battalion will have moved far, if at all during the following month. Let me know if you would like more from me. It would be useful for me to understand your particular interest in Lieut. Gamble... I'm assuming you're family. David T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 16 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 16 December , 2005 You must be talking of Lieut John Walcote Gamble, a 2nd Battalion, DLI officer who served with its sister 14th Battalion. I'm assuming you're family. David T. David You have the right man but no I am not family. I have some trench art, namely an 18 pdr shell case inscribed ‘brought from Ypres by Lieut J W Gamble DLI. Killed in action May 22 1916’. I didn't realise he was attached to the 14th Battalion as all my information show the 2nd Battalion. I have a particular interest in Flanders and bought an item of trench art off E-Bay a year or so ago and wondered about the story behind it. Yes I would be pleased to learn as much about him as possible. Is the information available from the Liddle Collection via e-mail? Thanks for the information you have provided. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David T Posted 17 December , 2005 Share Posted 17 December , 2005 Yes I would be pleased to learn as much about him as possible. Is the information available from the Liddle Collection via e-mail? Hi John, It's funny how you get tied in with individuals... anyway, I'll cobble something together in the next couple of days... by the time I go through my research notes there could be quite a bit of information relating to Gamble... he's one of a handul of people regularly featured in my manuscript! I don't think you'll get much by E-Mail from Leeds University Library as regards him, simply, because there'll too much material. However, they might be able to provide a synopsis of what's on their file... it'd be worth asking. No doubt, in consideration of a suitable search fee they could provide more, if you want it. Will revert a.s.p. with "chapter & verse". David T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Heyvaert Posted 18 December , 2005 Share Posted 18 December , 2005 It was to the North-East of Ypres, in trenches near Morteldje, that he was wounded. 6th Division was there for a whole year from june '15 till june '16. April and june 1916 saw some heavy fighting there, after Germans attacked British trenches late april '16 and wiped out almost all of 8/Bedfords that were in the line. British troops retook most of the trenches a few days later. During the next month, both Germans and British lost heavily in re-consolidating their lines. The 6th Division was also engaged in the gas attack 19th december 1915 on the same spot, monday 90 years ago. cheers, Bert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 18 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 December , 2005 Bert Thanks for this information, much appreciated. David I am very intrigued about why so much is available on this officer, no doubt all will become clear in due course. If it would help you I will pm you my e-mail/snail mail address. Happy to cover any copying/postal costs. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David T Posted 18 December , 2005 Share Posted 18 December , 2005 David I am very intrigued about why so much is available on this officer, no doubt all will become clear in due course. If it would help you I will pm you my e-mail/snail mail address. Happy to cover any copying/postal costs. Regards John John, I hope you'll find the attachment of interest... and I hope it reaches you O.K. but, if not, let me have your E-Mail and Snail-Mail addresses and I'll post a copy to you. David T. Gamble__Lieut_John_Walcote.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 18 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 December , 2005 John, I hope you'll find the attachment of interest... and I hope it reaches you O.K. but, if not, let me have your E-Mail and Snail-Mail addresses and I'll post a copy to you. David T. David Thanks for the attachment. It gives more information than I dared hope for. Thanks very much for all your trouble I very much appreciate it as it enables me to gain some insight into the trench art memorial to Lt Gamble. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirelessboy Posted 18 December , 2005 Share Posted 18 December , 2005 Hi John - I've started using a the info at 'The regimental warpath' (just google it) to establish where various regiments were fighting during the first World War - it's very comprehensive and helps in understanding where a regiment stood within a division/army etc. Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 19 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 December , 2005 Nick Thanks for your advice. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dries chaerle Posted 24 January , 2006 Share Posted 24 January , 2006 Dear all, just a quick note from Talbot House, Poperinge, where 2nd Lt John Gamble is one of the central persons in the new exhibition. The camplife theme is full of fragments from his letters, of which we keep a full copy here (Folkestone, oct 1915 to Lyssenthoek Cemetery, may 1916...; we've got also some other interesting material on the man) Go to www.talbothouse.be and pay a virtual visit to the exhibition/camplife. His portrait is attached. Kind regards, Dries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 3 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 February , 2006 Dries Thank you for this. I will be visiting Talbot House in March and look forward to seeing the exhibition. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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