Paul Nixon Posted 18 February , 2006 Share Posted 18 February , 2006 CSM John William Beeby Gale, wounded Trones Wood August 1916, mentioned in the war diary for that period. Noted as contributor to 2nd Battn Benevolent Fund in 1912 (he was a lance-corporal then). Probably born in Exminster, Devon around 1870. As mentioned above, his number was 8355. Can any of the Beds experts give me a rough date when he might have enlisted please? Cheers Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 18 February , 2006 Share Posted 18 February , 2006 Are you sure about where he was born? I suspect he is the John William B Gale born in 1891 (birth records) at Nutfield in Surrey. The 1901 census lists him as John W B Gale living with his father and mother plus siblings. His father was a Wholesale Druggist and he was quite well off, employing a Cook. Nurse-Housmaid and a Stable Lad. I suspect he would have enlisted in 1909 when he was 18. But in any case between 1909 and 1912. This all depends on you not telling me he was definately born in Devon in 1870, but I could not see any record of this. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 18 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2006 Hello John, that was quick. Now you've got me thinking. I don't know for sure that he was born in 1870 and your information sounds more plausible. I found a William J B Gale for Devon but missed the man you mention. Now I'll have another look. Thanks for the info on the dates. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 18 February , 2006 Share Posted 18 February , 2006 No relation! Steve (Beeby) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 18 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2006 I wondered... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 18 February , 2006 Share Posted 18 February , 2006 Ive been chewing this over & have got myself more confused the longer I think about it & am probably not gonna help here!! The 2nd Beds chaps that are closest to his number that i have firm evidence of are: 8172 enlisted jan 1905 & I have a photo of 9030 in Gibralter 1909 who is sporting a 2 year stripe ... Funny but I suspect Johns in the right date range, yet 9030 throws a spanner in the works a bit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 18 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2006 Ive been chewing this over & have got myself more confused the longer I think about it & am probably not gonna help here!! The 2nd Beds chaps that are closest to his number that i have firm evidence of are: 8172 enlisted jan 1905 & I have a photo of 9030 in Gibralter 1909 who is sporting a 2 year stripe ... Funny but I suspect Johns in the right date range, yet 9030 throws a spanner in the works a bit! Thanks Steve I think John probably is right on the year of birth. Let's say that he was born in 1891. If he had enlisted as a boy between 1905 and 1907, would he have been given the service number that I've quoted? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 18 February , 2006 Share Posted 18 February , 2006 Well, on the surface, they should have been numbered chronologically but that doesnt seem to fit here does it? I believe I read somewhere on this forum that the Regular service numbers were re-used before the war, so maybe this is one of those cases? I must say, i havent seen it happen myself so far, but that doesnt mean its not accurate of course, as i havent deliberately done a study of pre war numbers, just collated & tried to uderstand those I have come into contact with. I go to Kew a lot, so will try & look for his file when Im there. Maybe (with a LOT of luck) that will cure our conundrum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 19 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2006 Thanks for the offer Steve but I don't think his papers exist. I did a search a while back and turned up nothing. His medal card shows entitlement to 14 Star and BW & Vict but there is no SWB which might have given an enlistment date. It's no problem, I can live with conundrums. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 19 February , 2006 Share Posted 19 February , 2006 conundrums are the bain of our lives eh?!! Have you tried the pre war rolls? May be worth a nose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 19 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2006 conundrums are the bain of our lives eh?!! Have you tried the pre war rolls? May be worth a nose? Yes, that's a thought; I could give those a look through next time I'm at Kew. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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