Gilbert Bednall

War Service

Gilbert was only 16 years old at the outbreak of the war. Unfortunately records are not available to confirm exactly when he enlisted. He joined 2/4 Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at Normanton. The battalion formed part of the 62nd (West Riding) Division, 187 Infantry Brigade.
Gilbert’s battalion was in action virtually continuously during 1918, repelling the German spring offensive, the allied counter attack, the battles for Bapaume and Havrincourt. Gilbert’s final battle was also to be one of the final battles of the war culminating in the capture of the German defences “The Hindenburg Line”. Gilbert would have been involved in hand to hand fighting, shot at, machine gunned, subjected to artillery, trench bombing and gas attacks.
Orders came for a further push into the German crumbling defences. The attack began at 7.30am on 29 September 1918 and by 1.00pm the brigade had fought to its final objective, which included Masnieres, where 300 prisoners were captured that day.
With victory almost attained, on 29 September 1918 Gilbert Bednall, 21 years old, from Altofts paid the ultimate price during this action.
Only days before Gilbert’s family received the sad news some newspapers were reporting that the so-called “Great War would soon be over”. A memorial service for Gilbert took place at Altofts Methodist Chapel on 10 November 1918 the day before the armistice signing. It is hard to comprehend the turmoil of emotions Gilbert’s family and friends would have experienced on that memorial service day. The tremendous grief and sorrow at their loss, tinged with relief that the carnage would soon be over and believing that Gilbert did not give his life in vain, possibly comforted the family at that sad time.
Gilbert is one of over 9,000 names on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial in France, bearing the names of men who fell during the period 8 August 1918 to November 1918 in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.
The following appeared in the Wakefield Express on 2nd November 1918:
“BEDNALL – In loving memory of Private Gilbert Bednall, K.O.Y.L.I. son of Harry and Eliza Bednall, 9 Temple Place, Altofts killed in action September 29th 1918 aged 21 years.
Somewhere in France in a soldier’s grave,
Lies our dear son amongst the brave.
O God, how mysterious and strange are Thy ways
To take our dear son in the best of his days.
-From his sorrowing Mother, Father (in Egypt), Brothers and Sisters, Brothers-in-law and Sister-in-law. Memorial Service, Altofts P.M. Chapel, Sunday November 10th.”

Family Life

Gilbert was born in the year 1898 in Altofts. His father Henry and mother Eliza were both born in Ilkeston in Derbyshire.
Gilbert lived at 9, Temple Place, Altofts with his parents and four older siblings: Annie, Joseph, Florence and Alfred with one younger sister Lavinia.
At the age of 13 years Gilbert was working as a coal screener on the colliery surface and still living at 9, Temple Place along with another three younger siblings, Edith, Lawrence and Lily were additions to the family.

Vis en Artois Memorial and Cemetery