Randle Thomas William Gilby

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Randle died on 28th of March 1918 at the age of 33. 

Randle was born at Lowestoft on13 September 1885, a son of William and Emily Gilby. He was baptised at Saint John’s Church on 7 October 1885, and his family lived at 3 Raglan Cottages. In 1891 his family lived at 222 Raglan Street. By 1901 they were living at 63 Stanley Street, and Randle was a housepainter’s errand boy. 

In 1911 Randle was working as a railway carter and lodging with his uncle, Randall Wright, at 435 Liverpool Road, Platt Bridge, near Wigan. 

On 3 June 1914 Randle married Lydia Sabrina Ames at Saint Nicholas’ Church, Great Yarmouth. Randle was a carman living at Lowestoft and Lydia lived at Row 104, Great Yarmouth. By 1918 their home was at 79 Stanley Street, Lowestoft. Later Lydia lived at 3 Row, 104 South Quay, Great Yarmouth. 

Randle enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 32047. Randle was transferred to the Essex Regiment, service number 35427, and posted to the 2nd Battalion in France. 

In March 1918 the 2nd Battalion were in positions near Arras, moving into the front line on 24 March. At 3 p.m. on 28 March a heavy hostile enemy bombardment commenced on the front, support, and reserve lines as well as the rear areas. The bombardment continued for several hours and all communication wires were cut. At 7.05 a.m. the enemy could be seen massing in large numbers. At 7.15 a.m. all companies sent up S.O.S. rockets. By 7.35 a.m. there was severe fighting in the support and reserve lines. At 7.40 a.m. the enemy broke through on both flanks and advanced down Chili Trench toward battalion headquarters. At the junction of Chili, Harry and Hussar trenches about 35 men formed a strong point to check the enemy advance. The remaining men of the battalion came under command of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers. 

The battalion’s casualties on 28 March were:
Officers: three missing believed killed; eight missing; one missing believed prisoner; one wounded
Other ranks: 15 killed; 1 missing believed killed; 342 missing; 5 wounded and missing; 1 gassed; 49 wounded; five gassed to Field Ambulances

Randle was reported missing on 28 March and later presumed to have been killed in action on, or since, that date.