Wedgwood Gilbert Colclough Lieut

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Surname: Wedgwood;

Forename(s): Gilbert Colclough;

Initials: GC;

Rank: Lieut;

Resided in: Belfast;

Previous Battalion: 14 of;

Previous Regiment: R Ir Rif;

MGC Branch: Infantry;

MGC Unit: 109 Coy;

How killed: KIA;

Where: France;

When killed: 01-Jul-1916;

Other Data: Methodist College Belfast 1868-1938 - Portrait
Gilbert Colclough Wedgwood, Lieutenant, 109th Company. Machine Gun Corps (Inf), 1st July 1916. Age 22. Son of Elizabeth Wedgwood, of "Egerton," 76, North Rd. Bloomfield, Belfast, and the late Rev. George Ryles Wedgwood. Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, Pier and Face 5 C and 12 C

2nd Lieutenant Gilbert Colclough Wedgwood 109 MGC 1/7/16 Born 10/12/93 at Sandymount, Dublin the son of Elizabeth Wedgwood. Son of Rev George Ryler Wedgwood of The Methodist Church, 33 College Gardens, Belfast. Sisters were Jane E Wright (married University Ave, Glasgow), Elizabeth Thompson (married St Judes Ave Belfast), Charlotte Cole (married 166 Thorpe Rd, Norwich), Edith Eleanor Wedgwood (aged 24 in November 1916 of 33 College Gardens), Annie Sophia Wedgwood (aged 21 in November 1916 of 33 College Gardens), brothers were George A Wedgwood(married Royal Naval College, Dartmouth), Arnold E Wedgwood (aged 15 in November 1916 of 33 College Gardens) Gazetted 9/10/14. All officers with 18 months service as 2nd Lieutenant in MGC by 14/4/16 were promoted to Lieutenant. Embarked for France 1/12/15 and transferred from 16 R Irish Rifles 6/1/16 and reported for duty with 14 R Irish Rifles 21/1/16.
Posted to 109 Company MGC 29/2/16. Granted leave to UK 29/4/16 to 4/5/16. To MG School Camiers 22/5/16. His commission application for the Regular Army is dated October 1914, permanent address and address for correspondence 111 Wellesley Ave, Belfast. He was a Private in the UVF. An eyewitness reported that he was struck with a bullet from a machine gun and killed at about 8.30am. On the death of his sons their father was to retire from the Ministry after 51 years and was concerned about his financial situation now that his sons were killed. His father wrote to the War Office on 31/7/16 stating that Gilbert was reported on 5/7/16 to be kia 1/7/16 but his brother was simply reported missing believed killed which caused the family much anxiety. (Officers Papers - PRO)

Son of Rev George R Wedgewood of University Rd Methodist Church Belfast and ex-Vice President of the Irish Methodist Conference. Two of his brothers were officers one in the Navy and the other in the Army. (The Times July 1916)

Photo Methodist College Belfast 1868-1938 v2 p 507
Illustrated London News 2/9/16 p282

War Diary 109 Coy 1/7/1916……"2/Lt Wedgwood and his Sergeant Owen were killed in our own wire by machine gun fire and 2/Lt Hart was wounded but managed to go on".;

Other Notes: WEDGWOOD, Lieutenant, GILBERT COLCLOUGH, 109th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Inf). 1st July 1916. Age 22. Son of Elizabeth Wedgwood, of "Egerton," 76, North Rd., Bloomfield, Belfast, and the late Rev. George Ryles Wedgwood. Pier and Face 5 C and 12 C. Thiepval Memorial - Somme, France.;

END OF RECORD.

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