Pte 57928 Henry Richard Gilbert

• Age: 38
• From: Southwark, London
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 24th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Roye New Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: III.A.16

Henry Richard Gilbert was born on 09th May 1879, in Southwark, London the son of George Henry Gilbert and Lucy Eliza (née Skilbeck, spellings vary).  His father, born in Southwark, and his mother in the City of London, married in 1878.  Henry was the eldest of 11 children, 3 of whom died in infancy. His known siblings were Arthur, Jane, Elizabeth, Dorothy, Lawrence, Violet and George.

Henry was baptized on 29th June 1879 in St. Saviour, Southwark, his parents’ residence listed as Cromwell Buildings, and his father’s occupation as clerk

In 1881 they are found at 13 Red Cross Street, Southwark.  His father is 23, a warehouseman, his mother is 24, Henry is one year old, Arthur is 3 months.

In 1891 his parents, with Arthur, Elizabeth, Jane, Dorothy and Lawrence, are living at 22 Webster Road, Bermondsey.  His father, 33,  is a clerk.  Henry, 11, is living with his uncle John Gilbert, 52, his grandmother Jane Gilbert, 73, and a cousin Albert Lowe, 15, at 13 Cromwell Buildings, Southwark.

Lawrence died in 1895, aged 4.  Another son, George, died in 1899, age 3.  His father died in 1900, aged 43.

1901 finds the family still living at 22 Webster Road.  His widowed mother Lucy, is 42, her occupation listed as “slave”.  Hopefully, this was intended to be humorous.  Henry who is back at the family home is 21, occupation painter.  He has four siblings at home, and his uncle John Gilbert, 64.

They are still at the same address in 1911.  His widowed mother, Lucy, 52, is head of household.  The census form was filled in and signed by Henry, who listed his mother’s occupation again as “slave”.  Henry is 31, a house painter, Elizabeth is 27, a fancy box maker, Dorothy, 22, is a sewing machinist, and Violet, 18, is a biscuit packer.  They have two single female boarders, as well as Grace Doughtwaite, 8 months.  Five of the 11 children have died.

He enlisted in Rotherhithe, London and was formerly 3490 London Divisional Cyclist Company, the amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for over a year and a half, enlisting or being conscripted in about August 1916.

He was posted to the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment before being transferred to the 19th Battalion of the same Regiment. 

Henry was killed in action on the 24^th March, 1918, aged 38 during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary records:

24^th ROYE EGLISE

The Battalion was again ordered to withdraw and move to ROYE EGLISE during the evening, arriving at 7.30pm.During this operation Major C.W. BIGGS M.C. and LT. J.N.PARKER and about 60 O.R. became casualties. 

Henry was buried by the Germans, in grave no. 8, marked with 19/K.R.R.C. [sic].  Henry’s burial was later identified on a German list of 23/3/1918, noted as “German Peg. Grave” (the meaning of this is unknown). 

His body was removed and reinterred in Roye New British Cemetery, where he now rests.  The CWGC Graves Registration form shows date of death as 23/3/1918, later amended to 24/3/1918, the reason not clear.

The inscription on his headstone reads:

“EVER IN OUR MEMORY” 

Roye was in German hands from 30 August 1914 until the French retook it on 17 March 1917. The town was recaptured by the Germans on 26 March 1918 but was evacuated by them on 26 August. The French First Army entered the town the following day. Roye Old British Cemetery was 1.6 kilometres south of the town. It was made in March 1918, by the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station but there was little time to mark the graves before the town was captured by the Germans, who extended this cemetery for the burial of their own dead. In 1920 the Commonwealth graves were removed to Roye New British Cemetery. Roye New British Cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields.

The cemetery contains 565 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 153 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials are erected to 13 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 117 casualties buried in Marchelepot British Cemetery and in three German cemeteries, whose graves could not be found. The cemetery also contains the graves of 43 Second World War airmen.

His Army effects and War Gratuity of £8-10s were shared by his mother, siblings Arthur, Elizabeth, Jane, Dorothy, and a John Richard Beech.

His mother appears to have lived until 1937, and died at the age of 80.

Sadly, Henry had not been found on any memorial.

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