Second Lieutenant Gilbert R Venables was the archetypal WW1 officer. He was born in October 1880 at Ledbury, Herefordshire, the eldest child of Roland and Gertrude. His father was a barrister. Gilbert had 5 brothers and sisters. He spent his early years living at Old Colwall, a grand country house near Ledbury.  There were 7 servants; 3 maids, a cook, a footman, a coachman and, for Gilbert, a nurse. The family moved on through a succession of grand houses to arrive at Oakhurst on Selattyn Road at the turn of the century. ( Picture of Oakhurst House – sketch by his mother. Oswestry Family History Group.) By then the domestic staff had risen to ten – a butler, footmen, maids, grooms and coachman plus the ‘outside staff’ of a gardener and labourers working on the estate. Gilbert was educated at Rugby School and went on to study modern history at University College, Oxford gaining a second class degree. He followed his father into the law becoming a barrister, joining the Inner Temple and working on the Oxford Circuit. Like his father, he went into local politics serving on Shropshire County Council as well as Oswestry Board of Guardians – the local authority for administering the Poor Laws providing the social welfare benefits of the day for the deserving needy. He was also a JP in Denbighshire.

University College Oxford Cricket XI, Venables front row, right, cross legged. (Permission “The Master and Fellows of University College) Oxford”

At the outbreak of war he volunteered in the KSLI and went on to officer training. Initially, he was commissioned into 3 Bn, which functioned as a training and reserve unit and did not see active service. Instead it provided a steady stream of drafts and replacements for the other KSLI battalions. Gilbert had come over to France with a draft of 183 men (including Private 6699 RH Cooper and Private 7035 Thomas W Trow ) from 3 Bn KSLI in February 1915 and was posted to 2 Bn,  joining it on 13 February at Dickebusch, Belgium. On 7 March the battalion had finished a tour in the front line and were in the process of being relieved. As they made their way back through the communication and support trenches Lt. Venables stopped and was talking with Private Sidney Maurice Rheide from Chirk, when he was hit and shot, most likely by a sniper. His commanding officer wrote to his parents, ‘he had made himself very popular here as he was always cheery and in good spirits and had proved himself a really good officer during his short time with us. He was an officer that one could trust anywhere in spite of his very short training. He was buried with other officers, and we shall put up a small cross to mark the place. We can all sympathise with you as he was making himself an excellent companion’. He was buried in Voormezeele Enclosure No3. He is also commemorated on the War Memorials at Gobowen, Hengoed and Selattyn and also Rugby School and University College, Oxford.

Gilbert was a keen sportsman. He played cricket for Shropshire, Herefordshire and the MCC as a middle order batsman and bowler. He was also a good golfer, Captain of Oswestry Golf Club and represented Shropshire Gentlemen, and was a gold and silver medal winner in the Bar Golf Championships. The new pastime of motoring was also one of his pursuits and he owned one of the first cars in town. Back in Oswestry Gilbert’s death was mourned around the district. He was a popular and well liked man. Condolences came from all and sundry, the sporting clubs, free masons, conservative party, local councils and authorities, the National Farmers Union and even a telegram from the King. Poignancy was added since his sister had died just a year before whilst in Burma visiting their younger brother, Douglas, who was serving as an officer in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. A few months before Gilbert’s death, Douglas had been wounded in France and his left arm had been amputated. He too was a good cricketer. A third and youngest brother, Arthur, was in the Royal Navy serving in the Dardanelles.

NOTE; Date of death is variously recorded on CWGC as either 5 or 7 November and in Times obituary as 6 March. The History of KSLI only records him as KIA during the first ten days of March, given that he was killed when the battalion was being relieved, the most likely date is 7 March 1914 – confirmed by Medals records and will.

Acknowledgements. The Master and Fellows of University College, Oxford. and Rugby School.  

References and Sources

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