2nd Lt. Walter
Stanley Gimson, M.C.
King’s Own Yorkshire
Light Infantry
(Att. 61st Trench
Mortar Battery)
Killed in Action
16th August 1917, Aged 32
Walter
Stanley Gimson was born on the 3rd March 1885. He was the son of William
Gimson, a timber merchant from Leicester and Martha Gimson (nee Williams). He
had five older siblings, Emily, William, Henry, Annie and Edward, and three
younger siblings: a sister, Mary, who was born in April 1886, brother Albert
Yeomans, born February 1891 and another sister, Margery Clara, born 28th
January 1893.
In
the April 1891 census, when Walter was sixteen, the family was living at 110
Regent Road in Leicester and in 1901 they had moved to ‘Rothesay’, Victoria
Road, Leicester. Edward and Walter were carpenters and William jnr. was, like
his father, a timber merchant. The family employed a cook, Emily King and a
housemaid, Bertha Gibbs.
From
the 1911 census it can be seen that Walter, who at twenty-six was living with
the Slater family at ‘The Hawthorns’, Dagmar Grove, Alexander Park, Nottingham.
Mr Slater was a cabinet manufacturer, which was also Walter’s profession.
On
the 14th July 1915 Walter enlisted with the 10th Battalion of the Notts and
Derby Regiment – also known as The Sherwood Foresters. Corporal Gimson’s
service number was 17286 as it was when he became a serjeant[1] with the same
regiment. His religion was recorded as Church of England.
The
10th (Service) Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters was formed at Derby as part
of the Second New Army – Kitchener’s Army – K2 – and then moved to Wool in
Dorset to join the 51st Brigade of the 17th Division. In October 1914 they
moved to West Lulworth and then back again to Wool. In March 1915, when the
Territorial Army moved to France, the 10th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters
moved to West Lulworth once more and then on to Winchester. It wasn’t until the
14th July 1915 that they were mobilised for France.
On
the 22nd November 1915 Walter was admitted to hospital suffering from
influenza. He was discharged just three days later on the 25th November and
returned to duty.
Walter
was admitted to hospital again on the 14th December 1915, this time with a
shrapnel wound in his side and transferred to the Divisional Rest Station three
days later on the 17th December 1915.
Serjeant
Gimson received his commission on the 15th March 1916 and
on
the 4th April 1916 the London Gazette reported that ‘Serjeant W S Gimson had
been transferred from a (Service) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters
(Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) to the King’s Own (Yorkshire Light
Infantry)’.
The
2nd June 1916 saw the German army launch an attack against the high ground of
Mount Sorrel, close to Hooge to the east of the Ypres Salient. This was to draw
British resources away from the Somme. On the 12th June there was a heavy
German artillery bombardment and the 7th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
were sent from reserve to assist the 60th Brigade.
On
the 14th November 1916 the Gazette reported that on the 23rd May 1916 ‘Temp.
2nd Lieutenant W. S. Gimson was transferred for duty with Trench Mortar
Battalion from the Yorkshire Light Infantry.’
In
the New Year’s Honours List on the 1st January 1917 The London Gazette listed
those who were to be awarded the Military Cross, on the list was Temp.
2nd Lt. Walter Stanley Gimson of the Yorkshire Light Infantry commanding Trench
Mortar Battery. A front-line trench mortar was always certain to draw enemy
fire and played an important role in any attack. Trench mortars were known by
the British army as ‘flying pigs’.
The
Military Cross was instituted on the 28th December 1914 and is the third level
military decoration awarded to officers. This decoration was awarded to Walter
Stanley Gimson for an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active
operations against the enemy.
In
June 1917 Walter was in London, possibly on leave, when he married Isabel
Beatrice Moss at Fulham registry office.
Isabel
was born on the 31st March 1879 in Loughborough and married her first husband,
Le Roy Soher, who was from New York, on the 15th April 1903 at the Parish
Church in the Parish of Emmanuel. Le Roy, who gave his profession as ‘Gentleman’
was residing at 17 Victoria Street, Loughborough and Isabel Beatrice Moss, a
grocer’s daughter, was living at Park Road, Loughborough.
Ten
years later, Isabel was living at 7 Ravenscourt Mansions in London and Le Roy
in Epsom when, on the 13th June 1913, she filed a divorce petition for ‘Restoration
of Conjugal Rights’ against Le Roy Soher, the respondent, and the cause was set
down on the 4th July 1913.
She
had written to Le Roy on the 2nd June to ask him to ‘once more make each other
happy and receive me back home again and allow me to live with you as your
affectionate wife.’
The
petition stated that: “After the said marriage, your petitioner lived and
co-habited with her said husband at Hunderts (?) Hotel in Folkstone in the
county of Kent, 55 Park Road, Loughborough, in the county of Leicester, and
‘divers’ other places and there has been no issue of the said marriage.”
“That
the said Le Roy Soher has refused, and still refuses, to cohabit with your
petitioner and to render her conjugal rights.”
“That
your petitioner (Isabel) resides at 7 Ravenscourt Mansions in the county of
London and is domiciled in England.”
“That
the said Le Roy Soher is of no occupation and resides at Highridge Down Road,
Epsom in the county of Surry and is domiciled in England.”
Isabel
asked that: “the court grant her a Decree for Restitution of Conjugal Rights
and such further and other relief in the premises as may be just.”
A
Decree for the Restitution of Conjugal Rights (R.C.R.) was issued on the 16th
October 1913 giving Le Roy 14 days to return to Isabel’s home and ‘render to
her conjugal rights’.
This
did not happen and on the 29th Day of October 1913 Le Roy was ordered to pay
Isabel alimony of £450 per annum.
Le
Roy Soher returned to New York and four years later, on the 4th June 1917, Isabel
married 2nd Lieutenant Walter Stanley Gimson, M.C., of the King’s Own Yorkshire
Light Infantry in Fulham Registry Office.
Seven
weeks later, the Infantry attack that became known as the Third Battle of
Ypres, or Passchendaele, began on the 31st July 1917. Within a few days the
heaviest rain for thirty years affected the Ypres Salient turning the ground to
thick mud that could immobilise tanks. It became so deep that many men, horses
and mules drowned.
Walter Stanley Gimson was
involved at Langemarck where an attack began on the 16th August 1917. The
village of Langemarck had been lost to the enemy in April 1915. The 7th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was part of the
leading advance, crossing the Steenbeeck early in the morning. The
advance was held up by fire from the blockhouses to the west of the village.
These were cleared by the men of the 7th KOYLI. It was a costly battle with an
estimated 15,000 casualties for an advance of no more than 1,500 yards.
Captain
Walter Stanley Gimson, M.C. was killed in action at Langemarck aged just
thirty-two. The record of ‘Soldier’s Effects’ shows:
Awarded
15 Star (Notts and Derby)
British (Service) medal and Victory Medal
Regiment:
Alexandra, Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment
Sent
to his widow: (Mrs W S Gimson, 9 Forest Road, Loughborough.)
Effects
£105
5s 8d plus £4 14s 8d total £110 0s 4d
However,
on the 30th November 1917, Probate in Nottingham showed:
GIMSON Walter Stanley of Thyra-grove, Mapperley, Notts., captain
in
HM Army died 18 Aug 1917 in France (other records show 16th
August)
Probate Nottingham 30 Nov to:
William Gimson timber merchant
William Leonard Gimson private hotel prop
Harry Gimson timber merchant.
Effects £4480 4s. 10d.
Walter
Gimson was a keen golfer and a member of the Longcliffe Golf Club in Nanpantan.
His record shows his address to be 9 Forest Road, Loughborough when he died.
Walter’s
wife, Isabel, paid for the words: TILL HE
COME to be inscribed on his headstone.
Photograph:
Kev Mitchell
Captain Walter Stanley Gimson, M.C.
is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, which is located on the
Diksmuidseweg road (N369) near to Boezinge.
Bard
Cottage was a house a little set back from the line, close to a bridge called
Bard's Causeway, and the cemetery was made nearby in a sheltered position under
a high bank. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Walter’s
name has also been added to his parents’ headstone in Welford Road Cemetery.
©Dr Karen
Ette
Grateful
thanks to Ciarán Conlan for sharing and helping with the research.
Sources:
The National Archives
Longcliffe Golf Club http://www.longcliffegolf.co.uk
