2nd Lieutenant Gilbert Harry Foss Border Regiment
1914-15 Star (missing). 1914-18 British War Medal (missing). Victory Medal.
The Man Gilbert Harry Foss was born on Saturday 6th January 1894 at 5 Church Street, Royal Leamington Spa, son of
Charles Gravatus Foss, a Stocks and Shares Dealer and Annie nee Smith and wasone of seven children, Percy Charles 1880 -), Reginald M (1882 -), Edgar Louis (1886–), Edward William (1888– ), Lilian Gertrude (1892–) and Frederick George (1897– 6th November 1917, killed in action Beersheba, Palestine).
Gilbert was Baptised in All Saints Church, Leamington on 11th February and the 1901 census shows the family living at the same address in Church Street, together with their Servant, Jane Riley.
In 1905, aged 11 Harry attended Warwick School, leaving in 1910 aged 16 and in 1911 was living with his parents, Frederick and Lilian at Eckington Villa, 51 Russell Terrace and had become an Electrical Engineering Student and by 1914 was working as such at British Thomson-Houston based in Rugby.
At the outbreak of world War I on 4th August 1914 Gilbert was aged 20 and enlisted into the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry with service number 13438 and promoted to Corporal. On 24th January 1915 he was however, Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Border Regiment, this appearing in the London Gazette of 27th January. He was posted to the Western Front in France during 1915.
Gilbert was killed in action on Tuesday 3rd July 1916 near Martinsart, during the early stages of the Battle of the Somme aged just 22, his body was never found.
Charles Gravatus Foss, a Stocks and Shares Dealer and Annie nee Smith and wasone of seven children, Percy Charles 1880 -), Reginald M (1882 -), Edgar Louis (1886–), Edward William (1888– ), Lilian Gertrude (1892–) and Frederick George (1897– 6th November 1917, killed in action Beersheba, Palestine).
Gilbert was Baptised in All Saints Church, Leamington on 11th February and the 1901 census shows the family living at the same address in Church Street, together with their Servant, Jane Riley.
In 1905, aged 11 Harry attended Warwick School, leaving in 1910 aged 16 and in 1911 was living with his parents, Frederick and Lilian at Eckington Villa, 51 Russell Terrace and had become an Electrical Engineering Student and by 1914 was working as such at British Thomson-Houston based in Rugby.
At the outbreak of world War I on 4th August 1914 Gilbert was aged 20 and enlisted into the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry with service number 13438 and promoted to Corporal. On 24th January 1915 he was however, Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Border Regiment, this appearing in the London Gazette of 27th January. He was posted to the Western Front in France during 1915.
Gilbert was killed in action on Tuesday 3rd July 1916 near Martinsart, during the early stages of the Battle of the Somme aged just 22, his body was never found.
Medal Index Card
The 8th Battalion war diary entries for the period 2nd to 4th July read:
Forceville - 2 Jul 1916: The Battalion halted here for the day, but had sudden orders at 11 pm to be ready to move. However, the order to move did not come till the next day.
Martinsart Wood - 3 Jul 1916: The Regiment was supposed to attack the German front line at 3am but this was postponed till 6am. The Bat’n advanced in 4 waves. D & A Coys from our front line B & C Coys from our support line.
8th Battalion Border Regiment
Each company had two platoons in line crossing on a front of some 150 or 200 yards followed by the other two platoons. As the leading companies left the front trench their place was taken by the two leading Platoons of each supporting Company. Touch was kept with the Cheshires by means of runners. This means of communication was also adopted to keep touch with the 2nd S. Lancs. Regt. The leading companies understood their objectives and had sufficient time to explain their orders to their men according to the operation orders issued in Martinsart Wood. The Coys in support had not sufficient time to explain these orders thoroughly to their men owing to the distance from the front line and the enemy’s shell fire.
The 1st two waves went out punctually at the appointed hour, the other two Coys were held in the front line till it was seen how things were going and till reinforcements were requested. A message was sent back asking for reinforcements and bombs and these were sent up immediately. 2 platoon at this time were sent up, no reinforcements had arrived from the reserve to take our place. Eventually all reinforcements were sent except a platoon with 2 Lewis guns. The last reserve of 2 platoons did not reach the enemy line but returned with the Battalion when it retired. The frontage occupied in the German line was about 180 yards which had been much damaged by our shell fire and there was very little cover. The right flank giving way was the cause of the Battn falling back and also the unfortunate word "retire" undoubtedly passed along from the right. Major Birt ordered the left to conform.
Orders and messages referring to the operations took a very long time to reach Battn HQ owing to the dark and the orderlies being near to the trenches. There was no telephone to Battn HQ and all messages were by runners. This delayed instructions to OC Coys and did not give them time to arrange bombing parties, etc. for clearing the German communication trenches. The German rifle & machine gun fire was not particularly severe and had communication with the right and left been kept up throughout the attack would have been successful.
During the operation we suffered the following casualties: 4 officers killed and 10 wounded, 430 casualties other ranks.
Aveluy Wood - 4 Jul 1916: The Regt left the front line trenches being relieved by the 1st Wiltshire Regt & marched to the south side of Aveluy Wood.
Gilbert was posthumously awarded his 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British war Medal and Victory Medal, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France, the Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial, the St Mary’s Church War Memorial, the All Saints Parish Church War Memorial and the Warwick School memorial together with his brother Frederick George.
Forceville - 2 Jul 1916: The Battalion halted here for the day, but had sudden orders at 11 pm to be ready to move. However, the order to move did not come till the next day.
Martinsart Wood - 3 Jul 1916: The Regiment was supposed to attack the German front line at 3am but this was postponed till 6am. The Bat’n advanced in 4 waves. D & A Coys from our front line B & C Coys from our support line.
8th Battalion Border Regiment
Each company had two platoons in line crossing on a front of some 150 or 200 yards followed by the other two platoons. As the leading companies left the front trench their place was taken by the two leading Platoons of each supporting Company. Touch was kept with the Cheshires by means of runners. This means of communication was also adopted to keep touch with the 2nd S. Lancs. Regt. The leading companies understood their objectives and had sufficient time to explain their orders to their men according to the operation orders issued in Martinsart Wood. The Coys in support had not sufficient time to explain these orders thoroughly to their men owing to the distance from the front line and the enemy’s shell fire.
The 1st two waves went out punctually at the appointed hour, the other two Coys were held in the front line till it was seen how things were going and till reinforcements were requested. A message was sent back asking for reinforcements and bombs and these were sent up immediately. 2 platoon at this time were sent up, no reinforcements had arrived from the reserve to take our place. Eventually all reinforcements were sent except a platoon with 2 Lewis guns. The last reserve of 2 platoons did not reach the enemy line but returned with the Battalion when it retired. The frontage occupied in the German line was about 180 yards which had been much damaged by our shell fire and there was very little cover. The right flank giving way was the cause of the Battn falling back and also the unfortunate word "retire" undoubtedly passed along from the right. Major Birt ordered the left to conform.
Orders and messages referring to the operations took a very long time to reach Battn HQ owing to the dark and the orderlies being near to the trenches. There was no telephone to Battn HQ and all messages were by runners. This delayed instructions to OC Coys and did not give them time to arrange bombing parties, etc. for clearing the German communication trenches. The German rifle & machine gun fire was not particularly severe and had communication with the right and left been kept up throughout the attack would have been successful.
During the operation we suffered the following casualties: 4 officers killed and 10 wounded, 430 casualties other ranks.
Aveluy Wood - 4 Jul 1916: The Regt left the front line trenches being relieved by the 1st Wiltshire Regt & marched to the south side of Aveluy Wood.
Gilbert was posthumously awarded his 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British war Medal and Victory Medal, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France, the Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial, the St Mary’s Church War Memorial, the All Saints Parish Church War Memorial and the Warwick School memorial together with his brother Frederick George.
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Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial
Leamington Courier 4th July 1919
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Thiepval Memorial, France
The Story The single Victory Medal awarded to Gilbert Harry Foss was acquired from E-Bay on 3rd November 2025 and of interest as Gilbert was a Leamington Spa, had been killed in action in World War I and appeared on the town War Memorial, a sub-theme of this collection.
Ancestry and newspaper archives enabled a brief biography of his short life to be pieced together, but of additional interest was the fact his name is also on the All Saints Parish and St Mary’s Church War Memorials and in Warwick School.
Although his 1914-15 Star and 1914-18 British War Medal are missing, it has at least been possible to remember another soldier from Royal Leamington Spa who gave his life in World War I making the ultimate sacrifice.
Ancestry and newspaper archives enabled a brief biography of his short life to be pieced together, but of additional interest was the fact his name is also on the All Saints Parish and St Mary’s Church War Memorials and in Warwick School.
Although his 1914-15 Star and 1914-18 British War Medal are missing, it has at least been possible to remember another soldier from Royal Leamington Spa who gave his life in World War I making the ultimate sacrifice.
Medal Details:
- 1914-15 Star: Missing.
- 1914-18 British War Medal: Missing.
- Victory Medal: 2.LT. G.H.FOSS
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This page last updated 11 Nov 25
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