Herbert Gostling was born On This Day 20th February 1891 at 8 Edgington Road.
The son of John (coachman groom) and Mary Anne Gistling. He was a sergeant in the Royal Flying Corps, 55 squadron
----------------------------------------------------------------
Herbert Gostling was born in Streatham on 20 February 1891 to John Jasper and Mary Ann Nicholson. They moved to 220 Selsdon Road, Croydon. He was educated at Dering Road and Archbishop Tenison Schools. His father was a porter at East Croydon Station.
Herbert first enlisted into the 6th Dragoon Guards on 29 May 1908 and then transferred to the 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and his final army position the Machine Gun Corps. He then changed completely and joined the Royal Flying Corps, 55 Squadron, serving as a Sergeant Observer (number 121856).
This squadron was formed as a training unit and was posted to France and took part in the Battle of Arras in 1917. It commenced bombing raids on German targets and Herbert was shot down on 13 March 1918 near Lutterbach. He was buried by the Germans. After the war such burials were transferred to Neuf Brisach Cemetery and records show that this cemetery contains the graves of 55 servicemen who died as POWs. One is recorded as being brought from Lutterbach and this must be Herbert.
His effects after the war were £16 5s. plus War Gratuity £24 divided between 9 family members.
Herbert is on the Croydon Roll of Honour (as published in Croydon and the Great War, edited by Ald. H. Keatley Moore, 1920) and Archbishop Tenison School Memorial.
Note: his portrait shows him in the Machine Gun Corps.
(Brian Roote for Surrey in the Great War)
The son of John (coachman groom) and Mary Anne Gistling. He was a sergeant in the Royal Flying Corps, 55 squadron
----------------------------------------------------------------
Herbert Gostling was born in Streatham on 20 February 1891 to John Jasper and Mary Ann Nicholson. They moved to 220 Selsdon Road, Croydon. He was educated at Dering Road and Archbishop Tenison Schools. His father was a porter at East Croydon Station.
Herbert first enlisted into the 6th Dragoon Guards on 29 May 1908 and then transferred to the 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and his final army position the Machine Gun Corps. He then changed completely and joined the Royal Flying Corps, 55 Squadron, serving as a Sergeant Observer (number 121856).
This squadron was formed as a training unit and was posted to France and took part in the Battle of Arras in 1917. It commenced bombing raids on German targets and Herbert was shot down on 13 March 1918 near Lutterbach. He was buried by the Germans. After the war such burials were transferred to Neuf Brisach Cemetery and records show that this cemetery contains the graves of 55 servicemen who died as POWs. One is recorded as being brought from Lutterbach and this must be Herbert.
His effects after the war were £16 5s. plus War Gratuity £24 divided between 9 family members.
Herbert is on the Croydon Roll of Honour (as published in Croydon and the Great War, edited by Ald. H. Keatley Moore, 1920) and Archbishop Tenison School Memorial.
Note: his portrait shows him in the Machine Gun Corps.
(Brian Roote for Surrey in the Great War)
