William Henry Gadsby
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
There is a record of the birth of a William Henry J Gadsby in 1889 (A/M/J Nottingham). He was the husband of Kate Gadsby (née Hackett, b. 20 September 1896) whom he married in 1914 (J/F/M Nottingham). They had three sons, all born in Nottingham: William Albert b. 1 May 1914, John Henry b. 14 September 1916 and Leonard b. 9 September 1917. The famiiy lived at 5 Brassey Street, Radford. William's widow probably remarried as there is a record of the marriage of a Kate Gadsby to William H Pearce in 1921 (J/F/M Nottingham) and they probably had two sons: Cyril b. 1921 (A/M/J Nottingham, maiden name Hackett) and Thomas G. b. 1925 (J/F/M Nottingham, maiden name Hackett). William and Kate's younger son John probably died in 1948 (O/N/D Nottingham) aged 32 (see 'extra information') and the elder son William in 1967 (A/M/J Nottingham) aged 53.
William Gadsby served with the 73rd Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). He died of pneumonia 'contracted on active service' at the 31st Casualty Clearing Station, Salonika, and is buried in Dedeagatch British Cemetery, Greece (grave reference: 33). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - Dedeagatch British Cemetery (extract); 'Dedeagatch (now Alexandroupolis) belonged to Turkey until 1913, and to Bulgaria from 1913 to 1919. It was bombarded by an Allied squadron in October 1915 and was occupied by Commonwealth forces in October 1918. No 31 Casualty Clearing Station was posted in the town until the end of the year. The cemetery was used from October to December 1918 and after the Armistice, 18 graves were brought in from other cemeteries.'
Notice of William's death published 28th December 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- GADSBY. – On December 14th, at Salonica, Private W. Gadsby, died of pneumonia. – From his sorrowing wife and children, also his mother and father-in-law.” Item courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His wife Kate was his sole legatee. His widow Kate was awarded a pension of 13 shillings and 9 pence a week, first payment 23 June 1919. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Local Jottings’, 21 October 1948: ‘John Henry Gadsby, 32, of 52 Curzon-street, Nottingham, was found dead in his home today.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
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