Pte 58017 Sidney George Gentle

• Age: 25
• From: Tottenham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Sidney George Gentle was born in March 1892 at Tottenham and was the son of Ellis Gentle and his wife Ellen (nee Gill) who married in 1890.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 17 Melton Road, Tottenham, London.

His father Ellis is aged 37, a general Labourer, born in Orwell, Cambridge, whilst his mother Ellen is aged 35, born Orwell. They have two children Sidney aged 9 and Martha 2 both born in Tottenham.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 17 Melton Road Tottenham, London.His father Ellis is aged 47, born in Orwell, Cambridge in 1864 and employed as an asphalt foreman, whilst his  mother Ellen is aged 45, born 1866 also in Orwell. They have been married for twenty years and have two children, Sidney George aged 19, born 1892 and occupation cabinet maker and Martha aged 12, born 1899 at school.

He enlisted in London and was formerly 263, London Divisional Cyclist Company and serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 58017 when he was killed in action on the 4th August, 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

Sidney was one of those casualties referred to. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His mother Ellen Gentle received a pension of 5/ with effect from 19^th February 1918.

The father Ellis died in 1931 and his mother Ellen died in 1945.

We currently have no further information on Sidney George Gentle, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.