Corporal Samuel Gribben

Corporal Samuel Gribben

11th (Service) Battalion Highland Light Infantry
Service No: 19419

2683

3

4

1

48

Click here for a frameable A4 print

Personal details

Family Information

Son of James Gribben and Ann Jane Linton Gribben of the Racecourse, Broughshane, Co. Antrim. Husband of Agnes Graham Gribben of 28 Ronald St, Coatbridge. Father of 4 children. Samuel's brother Rifleman Robert Gribben (born 01/07/1886 at Racavan, Broughshane) of the 1st Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade was killed on the 17/09/1916 aged 30 and is buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. He is NOT on the Memorial. From the 1901 Ireland Census - Address - 38 Broughshane Upper, Antrim - James Gribben aged 60, Ann Jane Gribben aged 50, Thomas Gribben aged 19, Samuel Gribben aged 17, Robert Gribben aged 14, Francis Gribben aged 12, Andrew Gribben aged 11, Thomas Gribben aged 19, Francis Gribben aged 12, Rebecca aged 10, William Gribben aged 8 and Alexander aged 6. Samuel's Pension was awarded to his wife Agnes of 7 Bishop St, Toronto, Canada on the 20/03/1925.

Born / Resided

Ballymena, Co. Antrim / 28 Ronald St, Coatbridge.

Died

Died of Wounds on the 29/02/1916 at the 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln (Military). Wounds received near Cambrin on the opening day of the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915

Enlisted

Coatbridge /08/1914

Employed

Gartsherrie Iron Works, William Baird and Company.

Age

33 / DOB - 23/08/1883

Buried / Remembered

Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery (D. 117), England.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

During the First World War, the 4th Northern General Hospital was at the Grammar School in Lincoln. the hospital had 1,400 beds and during the course of the war, admissions numbered 45,000. Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery, which was near the hospital, contains 139 First World War burials, almost 90 of them forming a war graves plot. During the Second World War, this plot was extended and most of the 120 burials from this period were made there. The rest of the graves from both wars are scattered throughout the cemetery.

Additional Information

Samuel and the 11th (Service) Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 13/05/1915 and were part of the 28th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. The Battle of Loos : 25th September – 15th October 1915 : The first genuinely large scale British offensive action but once again only in a supporting role to a larger French attack in the Third Battle of Artois. British appeals that the ground over which they were being called upon to advance was wholly unsuitable were rejected. The battle is historically noteworthy for the first British use of poison gas. The Battle from 07.05 a.m. till noon - In the centre 9th (Scottish) Division had to attack the formidable obstacle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, the high location of the main enemy observation posts looking across the whole battlefield. Preparations had included Russian saps to close the distance to be covered, and effective observed heavy shelling. The lead units of 26th Brigade suffered casualties as they cleared the gas and smoke, but advanced through well-cut wire to quickly take the front face of the Redoubt. At 11.15am the Corps commander gave an order to renew the attack at 12.15pm, and a bombardment opened up – but it was clearly too light to be effective in destroying the defences in front of Auchy. The 9th Scottish Rifles and half of the 11th Highland Light Infantry advanced as ordered, and were shot down with considerable loss. Most men did not even reach the German wire. At 1.30pm Brigade halted further attack, and its survivors were reorganised for defence of their original lines. Auchy area : The attack of 9th (Scottish) Division had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench network around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. SEE PHOTOS x 12 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915 and PHOTOS x 20 FOR THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 25th SEPTEMBER 1915. Samuel Died of Wounds received on the 25/09/1915 near Cambrin on the opening day of the Battle of Loos in the 4th Northern General Hospital in Lincoln (Military), England. He was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Scottish Regiments lost a huge amount of brave men at Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from 25/09/1915 to 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th King’s Own Scottish Borderers 650, of which 20 Officers, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King’s Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th Black Watch 511, of which 19 Officers, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. Samuel is also mentioned as aged 31 on his Grave and CWGC. Age and Date of Birth taken from the Ballymena 1914-1918 page. Samuel is listed as GRIBBON on the Memorial. He is also remembered on the Gartsherrie Works x 2 and Trinity Parish Church Rolls of Honour (see photos). Both Samuel and his brother Robert are remembered on the Broughshane War Memorial in Co. Antrim (see photos x 3). See photos for Samuel's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clipping, his name on the England and Wales Death Index, another photo of Samuel, his listing on the Ireland Casualties of WW1, Samuel's Pension Records x 2, family listed on the 1901 Ireland Census,. Samuel's CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, his Service Medals and Award Rolls x 2, another photo of Samuel's grave, Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery, Samuel's brother Robert and the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge. Samuel's grave inscription reads "BELOVED HUSBAND OF AGNES GRAHAM PEACE PERFECT PEACE". The History of the 9th (Scottish) Division book is available to read online here

Photos

War Diaries

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

Creative Commons License

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Comments

Would love to know more, I was born and raised in Coatbridge, left when I was 18 in 1963. I am absolutely sure we are related. We also originated in Antrim. My Auntie Maggie told her kids about a cousin dying in the great war. Incidentally in 1966, I was corporal Samuel Gribben. A U.S. Paratrooper in Vietnam ❤❤❤
Samuel Gribben, Boca Raton Florida, 09/01/2019 4:53AM

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