Private John Gentleman D.C.M.

Private John Gentleman D.C.M.

1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion Gordon Highlanders
Service No: S/7598

284

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3

4

72

Click here for a frameable A4 print

Personal details

Family Information

Only son of John and Jeanie Bailie Gentleman of 3d Park Place, Kippen St, Airdrie. From 1891 Census - Address - 54 Cliftonhill Buildings, Stewart St, Coatbridge - John Gentleman aged 24, Jeanie Gentleman aged 27, John Gentleman aged 6, boarder Robert Faulds aged 19. From the 1901 Census - Address - 3 Kippen St, Airdrie - John Gentleman aged 33, Jeanie Gentleman aged 35, John Gentleman aged 16, fathers brother-in-law James Bailie aged 23, boarder James Little aged 19. John's Pension was awarded to his mother Jeanie (who died) then his father John on the 28/01/1919.

Born / Resided

St. Ninians, Stirlingshire / 4 Ross St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 08/07/1918 by an enemy shell as he chatted to his comrades

Enlisted

Airdrie 06/11/1914

Employed

Stocktaker in the Woodside Iron Works.

Age

34 Buried / Remembered

Mindel Trench British Cemetery (E. 4), St Laurent-Blangy, France

Cemetery / Memorial Information

Until 9 April 1917, the Allied front line ran practically through the village of St. Laurent-Blangy. The trench (known to the Germans as Mindel Trench and called in 1918 McLaren Trench) was taken by the 9th (Scottish) Division on 9 April 1917, and the cemetery was made by the side of the trench after the battle. It was used by fighting units and field ambulances until September 1918, and was at times called Stirling Camp and St. Laurent-Blangy Forward Cemetery. Mindel Trench British Cemetery contains 191 burials of the First World War, nine of which are unidentified.

Additional Information

The 8th (Service) Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915. John arrived in France on the 14/07/1915. On the 07/05/1916 they moved to Bethune and transferred to the 44th Brigade,15th (Scottish) Division. Four days later they amalgamated with 10th (Service) Battalion to form 8/10th (Service Battalion. John was originally in the 8th (Service) Battalion and it was with the amalgamated Battalion that he was awarded his Distinguished Conduct Medal. On the 06/06/1918 the 8/10th (Service) Battalion were reduced to cadre, with surplus troops going to the 1/5th (Buchan and Formatin) Battalion Gordon Highlanders who were part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. 'Reduced to cadre' is a term used in the context of the British Army during World War I. It refers to a situation where a Battalion or Unit is reduced in strength to a basic core. The term 'cadre' refers to the core group of Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers who are responsible for training and organizing new recruits. The reason for reducing a unit to cadre could be due to a variety of reasons such as heavy casualties, illness, or the need to reorganize the unit. SEE PHOTOS x 17 FOR THE 1/5th (BUCHAN and FORMARTIN) BATTALION WAR DIARY JULY 1918. ALSO SEE PHOTOS x 11 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 20th APRIL - 15th JULY 1918 and PHOTOS x 4 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION AFTER THE ARMISTICE . John was with the 8/10th (Service) Battalion when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on the 14/11/1916 for conspicuous gallantry - "On three successive occasions Private Gentleman carried urgent messages to the firing line passing through two heavy enemy barrages, where several runners had been killed and wounded and other foiled. He has been frequently brought to notice for great bravery and devotion under similar circumstances" (see photos for John's D.C.M. mentioned in the 15th (Scottish) Division book). The Battalion were at Bresle at this time. On receiving his award John's former colleagues at the Woodside Iron Works gave him a wallet of banknotes and a cigarette case. John was killed outright by a shell as he chatted to comrades on the parapet of his trench. See Newspaper clippings for letter sent to John's parents from his Commanding Officer, the Corps Chaplain and his Lieutenant. John was a noted junior footballer in his younger years. 1st additional grave photo donated by Mick McCann at britishwargraves.co.uk. John is also remembered on the Masonic Lodge No 203 and Coats Parish Church's Rolls of Honour x 2, in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and on the Airdrie War Memorial (see photos x 2). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his Distinguished Conduct Medal Index Card, his Distinguished Conduct Medal Citation, Mindel Trench British Cemetery, John's Pension Records x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, the Gordon Highlanders Cap Badge and the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division he was with when he died). John's grave inscription reads "HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE". Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 8 (Coatbridge Express x 3, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 3), additional grave photos x 2. Main grave photo, 2 other photos and 2 photos of Mindel Trench British Cemetery taken by John's relative Steve Taylor and kindly donated to the site.

Photos

John Gentleman D.C.M. remembered at home

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

Comments

Steve, thanks for your reply. I will get the photograph from New Monkland Cemetery asap. Please send photos you took of John's grave to me at johnsammc@gmail.com and I`ll add them to his page along with a thanks to yourself. I`m going to update John's page today
John, McCann, 14/05/2024 3:26PM

Hi John, yes I have some photos of the war grave in Arras from my visit last year. What I don't have and unfortunately didn't visit, but there is an inscription on the parents headstone In Airdrie, it mentions he is buried in Arras France. Addition to gravestone District: Monklands Town: Airdrie County: Strathclyde Country: Scotland Inscription: ./THEIR SON/PTE. JOHN GENTLEMAN D.C.M./KILLED IN ACTION 8TH JULY 1918/AGED 34 YEARS INTERRED AT ARRAS/.. Current location: New Monkland Cemetery Condorrat Road Airdrie Monklands Strathclyde ML6 0NS Scotland
Steve Taylor, Port Macquarie, Australia, 12/05/2024 1:51AM

Hi Steve, I`m currently updating men's pages. I will update John's today. I will personally be going to John's grave this time next year. Sadly missed getting there last July. If you have any more information on John or photos of grave etc please contact me
John, McCann, 08/05/2024 9:43AM

I am a descendant of John Gentleman's father John Gentleman who after the death of his first wife Isabella (Baillee) married Elizabeth. Last year I visited his grave in Arras and wondered how many relatives had ever visited this site being an only child.
Steve Taylor, Port Macquarie, Australia, 08/05/2024 1:38AM

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