William Francis Gamble
- Family History
- Military History
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William Francis was the second son of Thomas Price Gamble and his wife Elizabeth (née Easom). Both his parents were born in Basford, Nottingham, Thomas in about 1859 and Elizabeth in about 1860. They were married at Basford St Leodegarius in December 1882 and had five children: George Price b. 1883, Sarah Florence Price birth registered 1886 (J/F/M), William Francis Price b. 22 March 1890, Thomas Price b. 1892 and Emma Elizabeth b. 1895. The three eldest children were baptised at St Leodegarius, William Francis on 9 June 1890. Thomas snr., a lace curtain worker, and Elizabeth were living at Ford Street, Basford, when their eldest son was baptised in 1884 but had moved to 28 Gauntley Street by 1890 when William was baptised and were still at the same address when the Census was taken the following year. However, in 1901 Thomas snr., now a grocer (own account), and his wife were living at 95 Carlton Road, Nottingham, with their five children: George a clerk (lace warehouse), Sarah a cigar maker, and William, Thomas and Emma who were school age. By 1911 only Sarah, a blouse machinist, Thomas a butcher and Emma were living with their parents, now at 15 Gawthorne Street, Nottingham, where Thomas snr. was a shop general dealer (own account). George, a brewery clerk, his wife Agnes Beatrice (née Garratt m. 1904) and their two children were living at 17 Gawthorne Street while William, who has not yet been traced on the 1911 UK Census, had probably emigrated to Canada. The family later moved to 10 Brushfield Street, Nottingham, where they had a shop. When William attested in 1916 he named his father, address 10 Brushfield Street, as his next of kin. Both of William's parents died in 1937; Thomas on 11 June and his widow on 20 October; both were living at 33 Carlyle Road, West Bridgford at the time of their deaths. George, Sarah (Parsons m. 1937) and Emma (Glossop m. 1919) survived their parents.
'B' Coy, 5th Bn Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment) William Francis emigrated to Canada and lived in Colfax, Saskatchewan. He attested in Regina, Saskatchewan, on 4 April 1916. He was killed in action on 10 November 1917 and is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium (Sp. Mem. 72). CWGC headstone inscription: 'Believed to be buried in this cemetery' and 'Their glory shall not be blotted out'. Rudyard Kipling selected these phrase to be used on the headstones of those whose burial place was once known but was lost during the course of the war. (wikipedia) CWGC - History of Tyne Cot Cemetery (extract): 'There are now 11,961 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Tyne Cot Cemetery. 8,373 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to more than 80 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 20 casualties whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.' (www.cwgc.org) www.williamfrancisgambleom.14.weebly.com: 'Third Battle of Ypres The battle in which William Francis Gamble died, was the third battle of Ypres. This battle, also called the battle of Passchendaele, became infamous not only for the big number of casualties, but also for the mud. The infantry attack began on July 31. The left wing of the attack achieved its objectives but the right wing failed completely. Within a few days, the heaviest rain for 30 years had turned the soil into a pond, producing thick mud. Bombs cracked the pipelines so the drainage systems didn't work anymore, and the water couldn’t flow away. The water eventually became so deep that men and horses drowned in it. The battle was eventually won by the Allies, thanks to the Canadian infantry. William Francis Gamble died on the 10th of November 1917, the official end of the third battle of Ypres.'
William's younger brother, Private Thomas Price Gamble, 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters (71244 Private), was killed in action on 15 May 1917 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 9 June 1917: ‘Gamble. Killed in action, May 15th, Pte Tom Gamble, Notts and Derbys, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Gamble,. 10, Brushfield-street, aged 24. Deeply mourned by father, mother, sisters, brothers [George and William] (in France).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Their brother George Price Gamble may have served in the South Staffordshire Regiment (52221) and later in the Hampshire Regiment (27258). Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 1 December 1917: ‘Gamble. Killed in action, November 10th, 1917, Private WF Gamble, Canadians, second beloved son of Mr and Mrs Gamble, 10 Brushfield-street, aged 27. Duty nobly done. Deeply mourned by his father, mother, sisters and brother [George] (in hospital).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 11 November 1918: ‘Gamble. In ever-loving memory of Pte WF Gamble, Canadians, killed in action November 10th, 1917, second beloved son of Mr and Mrs Gamble, 10 Brushfield-street. Fondly remembered by all the family.’ (wwwbritishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 12 June 1937: ‘Gamble. At 33 Carlyle-road, West Bridgford, on June 11th, Thomas Price, aged 78 years. Interment Wilford Hill, Monday 3 o’clock. Rest after weariness.’ (www.britishnewspaperachive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 22 October 1937: ‘Gamble. On October 20th at 33 Carlyle-road, West Bridgford, Elizabeth, wife of the late Thomas Price Gamble. Interment, Wilford Hill, Saturday, 11.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Family grave, Nottingham Southern Cemetery, Wilford Hill: 'In loving memory of Thomas P Gamble, beloved husband of Elizabeth, who died June 11th 1937, age 78 years. Rest after weariness. Also of the above Elizabeth Gamble who died October 20th 1937 aged 77 years, He that believeth in me shall not be cast out. Also William J Parsons, son in law of the above, [husband of Sarah Florence Parsons nee Gamble] died Feb 26th 1955, aged 76 years (cremated). Also their sons killed in action. Pte Tom Gamble May 15th 1917. Pte William F Gamble Nov 10th 1917.' Also commemorated on the family headstone are: Florence Elizabeth Jackson nee Gamble died 9th Aug. 1979 aged 67 years (daughter of George Price Gamble), Sarah Florence Parsons (nee Gamble) and George Price Gamble who died in 1958 aged 74.
