Gordon Shrubshall was born in 1885 in Guernsey, Channel Islands, the son of David & Martha Shrubshall nee Grinby; he was the youngest of their 7 children.
Gordon enlisted at Chatham with the 4th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment on 26th April 1906. He was with his regiment in South Africa 1907 - 1908 and in India & Burma 1908 - 1915. His father died in 1911 & it is not known if Gordon would have had leave to come home for the funeral; I suspect not. The regiment then joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force where Gordon served from 21.3.15 - 7.6.15. Whilst he was back in England he married Ellen Susan Powell 4th November 1915. He was then sent to France to join the British Expeditionary Force 23.3.16 - 18.10.17 where he was wounded in action 9.10.1917 and sent home to England on 19.10.17.
By 5 May 1918, after serving 12 years and 9 days, it had been decided to discharge Gordon from military service as he was no longer physically fit for war service, and 2 weeks later, at the age of just 33 he died on 19th May 1918 from the effects of gas poisoning and exposure endured in the trenches in Flanders.
He & his wife Ellen can't have had much of a marriage - they were married in between postings; he was then returned to England after being wounded and I suspect was constantly ill from the effects of the gas poisoning. They did have son born a few months after Gordon died & Ellen named him Alfred but sadly he too died the following year.
Gordon was buried in Holy Trinity Churchyard in Barkingside, Essex and his headstone reads: 'Casualty of the Great War, Gordon served with the 4th Bn. Worcestershire Regiment, service no 9899'. His sister, Elizabeth Tyler was later laid to rest with him.
His medals: Victory Medal, The British War Medal and the 15 Star were applied for by his widow in 1919. Sandra C 27 Jul 2022
next of kin on miltary details state wife but address is scratched out & brother Wm David 21 Bn ? L. Infantry, Cork Ireland - father deceased.
BURIAL:
Birth: Unknown
Death: May 19, 1918
Casualty of The Great War, Gordon served with the 4th Bn.Worcestershire Regiment, service no.9899.
He was 33 when he died from the effects of gas poisoning and exposure endured in the trenches of Flanders.His sister, Elizabeth Tyler was later laid to rest with him.
