A Shoesmith's Story
Farrier Staff Sergeant William Gilbert Coleman Royal Army Service Corps & Special Constabulary
The Man William Gilbert Coleman was born on 21st November 1889 in Andover, Hampshire, son of Gilbert Charles, a Blacksmith and Mary Jane and was the eldest of 10 children, Daisy Annie born in 1892, Lillian 1894, Frederick Charles 1896, Olive 1899 and who sadly died in 1901 aged 2, Godfrey John 1902, Katharine Mary 1903, Violet Ruth 1905, Florence May 1909 and Reginald George 1910. In 1891 the family were living at 8 The Dean, Hurstbourne Tarrant in Andover, in 1901 at 90 Upton and in 1911, William then aged 21 was shown on the census as a Blacksmith and working for his father. On 6th May 1913 William enlisted into the 2/6 Wessex Divisional Train Army Service Corps Territorial Force as a Driver with service number T/351. He was described as 5’ 5” tall with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. He had a 36½” girth when fully expanded, a range of expansion of 2½ “, and good physical development and vision. He attended his first annual training camp two months later on 26th July – 9th August 1913 and promoted to Farrier Corporal a year later on 25th July 1914. The same day he began his second training camp which was cut short on 4th August, the day war was declared against Germany. The following day, 5th August he was mobilised and promoted to Provisional Farrier Staff Sergeant. On 12th January 1915 he transferred into the Regular Army Service Corps, enlisting into the 249th Company, 29th Divisional Train and promoted to Temporary Acting Farrier Staff Sergeant with a new service number T4 056805, initially serving at home at Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The 27th, 28th and 29th Divisions had originally been intended for France, pressure on Lord Kitchener to launch a ground attack at Gallipoli forced him to deploy the Division there. The 29th Division embarked at Avonmouth on 16-22 March 1915, William embarking on 20th and went via Malta to Alexandria where he landed on 4th April as part of the Egypt Expeditionary Force. On 7 April the first units to have arrived at Egypt began to re-embark for the move to Mudros, the deep water harbour at the island of Imbros that was going to be used as a forward base for operations at Gallipoli. The Division landed at Cape Helles on 25 April 1915 and subsequently took part in the Gallipoli landings. William was admitted to hospital between 30th July and 20th September possibly as a result of injury sustained during the operation. On the nights 7-8 January 1916, the Division was evacuated from Gallipoli and all units returned to Egypt. William served in Suez and Deir El Belah until being hospitalised again with influenza from April until June 1918. He embarked for the return journey to the UK at Port Said on 10th June 1919 having served a total of 4 years and 85 days in Egypt. Upon his return his Commanding Officer wrote of William “This man is a thoroughly reliable and competent driver. He understands the care of horses and mules. He bears an excellent character”. He was demobilized from the Army on 2nd September 1919 and discharged on 31st March 1920, and for his war service awarded the 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British war Medal and Victory Medal. He returned to his work as a shoeing smith in Hurstbourne Tarrant. On 20th August 1920 he re-enlisted into the Wessex Divisional Train Royal Army Service Corps, Territorial Force with another new service number T28622 and volunteered to serve, once again, outside the UK if required. Between April and June 1923 William married Elizabeth Martha Lloyd in Andover and on 4th October 1926 was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal listed in Army Order 292. During World War II he enlisted into the Special Constabulary serving for the duration and awarded the Defence Medal and Special Constabulary Long Service Medal. William continued working as a Blacksmith and lived with Elizabeth at Woodford, The Dene, still in Hurstbourne Tarrant, where he had lived all his life, and died there on 23rd November 1957 aged 68 leaving £283.6s 4d in his will. Elizabeth died seven years later in 26th December 1964.
The Story The medals awarded to William Gilbert Coleman were bought through a make it now offer on E-Bay on 5th March 2017. They were of interest because of the double long service awards, and service through two World Wars in quite different capacities. Luckily William’s World War I records had survived, thus coupled with Ancestry.UK allowed a detailed biography of his early life and during the Great War to be built up and identifying a Gallipoli veteran, and one who may have been injured during the campaign. There are some possible further leads for the future, extraction of William and Elizabeth’s wills for example.
Medal Details:
- 1914-15 Star: T4-056805 FAR:S.SJT.W.COLEMAN. A.S.C.
- 1914-18 British War Medal: T4-056805 S.SJT.W.G.COLEMAN. A.S.C.
- Victory Medal: T4-056805 S.SJT.W.G.COLEMAN. A.S.C.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- Territorial; Efficiency Medal: T-28622 SJT.W.G.COLEMAN. R.A.S.C.
- Special Constabulary Long Service Medal: WILLIAM G. COLEMAN
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Page last updated 15 Apr 17