Amity Crest

Amity Crest

The Lodge of Amity and Rossendale Forest No.283

Rossendale Forest Crest
Rossendale Forest Crest

 

In Memorium Bro Gabriel Bullock 1888 - 1918

 

Lodge of Amity No.283

 

 

Gabriel was the youngest son born on the 4 October 1888 to parents Luke James Bullock and Elizabeth Alice Rawstron. He was baptised at St Johns Stonefold on the 9th February 1890 and at that time the family were living at 'Top O The Bank Cottage' in Acre.

Gabriel had two older siblings, Robert Henry born 1882 and Jane Alice born 1883. He also had a step brother John William Rawstron born in 1880.

Gabriel's father was listed as a cotton weaver in the 1891 census and by 1901 had changed profession and was the landlord of the Roebuck Inn on Charles Lane in Haslingden.

At sometime between 1901 and 1908 the family moved to the Swan Inn in Haslingden where Luke James Bullock died on the 6th January 1908 and was buried at St James. Gabriel was for many years a hairdresser at Blackburn Road, but, after his father's death, Gabriel returned to the Swan Hotel to assist his mother.

Bro Gabriel Bullock was initiated into the Lodge of Amity No.283 on the 6 August 1914 when he was 26 years old.

Bro Gabriel Bullock was sadly killed in action at the age of 30 on 15 September 1918 , just 57 days before the end of World War 1 (11 November 1918).

[Source: 'Haslingden Old and New Blog']

The Roe Buck Inn - Charles Lane - Haslingden
The Swan Hotel - Market Square - Haslingden - circa 1900

 

Rediscovering the lost story of Bro. Gabriel Bullock

 

Extraordinarily little was known about Bro Gabriel Bullock other than the entry in the Lodge records relating to the Book of Declarations and an entry in the Minute Book relation to him being killed in action in WW1 in France.

WBros Rayton and Godwin assisted by other Brethren therefore embarked on a voyage of discovery about this unfortunate young man and a Brother Freemason. They have gleaned the following information from various sources and now present this to commemorate the untimely death of a Brother and to pay respect to departed merit.

Come with us as we sojourn through the past to rediscover the story of the Bullock family - in particular Gabriel, Haslingden - the town where they lived, the Lodge of Amity 283 and the Great War 1914 - 1918


Please note: The film may take a minute or so to buffer or you can play direct from YouTube

Continue to scroll down the page to view memorials, documentation, maps and photographs

 

Memorials

Bro Gabriel Bullock
Source: Haslingden Old & New Blog
This Memorial is in the New Jerusalem (Swedenborg) Church, Jonh Street, Haslingden
Source: Rossendale - Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Society

 

No names appear on this War Memorial, but they are on the
Borough Roll of Honour at Haslingden Library.
Photo by WBro Ian Haworth

Borough Roll of Honour on display at the Haslingden Library
Photo by WBro Ian Haworth

Haslingden Conservative Club Roll of Honour
now on display at Holden Wood Antiques and Heritage Centre,
Grane Road, Haslingden
(Image courtesy: Rossendale Branch of Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Society)

 

 

Military Service

 

 

255th Siege Battery RGA

Gunner Gabriel Bullock 85432 was assigned to the Royal Garrison Artillery 255th Siege Battery. The Battery unit records show them arriving in France on 18th January 1917. This unit was originally a Regular/New Army Battery and had served in this Theatre of War prior to this date.

Siege Batteries were equipped with heavy howitzers, sending large calibre high explosive shells in high trajectory, plunging fire. The usual armaments were 6-inch, 8-inch and 9.2-inch howitzers, although some had huge railway- or road-mounted 12-inch howitzers.

As British artillery tactics developed, the Siege Batteries were most often employed in destroying or neutralising the enemy artillery, as well as putting destructive fire down on strongpoints, dumps, stores, roads, and railways behind enemy lines. Of course, the Germans employed the same tactics and Gabriel Bullock's Battery was a similarly high value target.

Motto: Ubique (Everywhere) - Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt (Wherever right and glory leads)

We know that the 255th Siege Battery RGA was first deployed in France on the 18th January 1917. However, it seems that the war diaries of this Battery no longer exist, possibly destroyed in the incendiary bombing of London (the Records Office) during WWII, but you can read more about the Siege Batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery and their role.

British War Medal - First World War Campaign/Service Medal and
Victory Medal - First World War Campaign/Service Medal
Click image to enlarge

British War Medal

The medal was awarded to all members of the armed forces, 1914-18, in recognition of their arduous service in bringing the war to a successful conclusion. It was also awarded for service in Russia in 1919-20 and for mine clearance in the North Sea between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919.

Victory Medal

This medal was awarded to all services of the British armed forces that had already received the British War Medal. It was often known as the Allied War Medal because the same basic design and double rainbow ribbon were adopted by thirteen other allied nations.

 

World War One Photographs
Used in the film

 

5th East Lancs Reg - Drill Hall Haslingden

 

 

Seige Battery on the Somme
Seige Battery on the Rhine

 

 

 

Killed in Action 15 September 1918
Roisel, Somme, France, WW1

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Click image to enlarge
(Photo purchased by WBro Rayton from the War Graves Photographic Project)

 

Tincourt New British Cemetery - Final resting place

Location Information:Tincourt is a village about 7 kilometres east of Peronne and Tincourt New British Cemetery is on the west side of the village, just off the D199.

 

Porchway or Entrance to Tincourt New British Cemetery [now the home of 2,139 souls]
Photo courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Photo courtesy of Google

 

Click image to enlarge
(American War Memorials Overseas, Inc,)
Click image to enlarge
(Photo purchased by WBro Rayton from the War Graves Photographic Project)
Aerial view of Tincourt-Boucly (Courtesy: Google)

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records identifying Gunner Gabriel Bullock's final resting place
(Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

 

Click image to enlarge

 

Click image to enlarge

 

Click image to enlarge

 

Photo by Thierry Grier (USA)

 

Translation:

British Cemetery

Created in June 1917, when Tincourt set up a medical post, they welcomed after the armistice the graves of the soldiers buried on the battlefield or in small cemeteries.

Today, 2,139 soldiers are buried there, including 1649 British, 229 Australians, 152 Germans, 58 Chinese, South Africans and Indians.

Click plan to enlarge

Bro Gabriel Bullock's grave and Headstone can be found in
Plot V (5) - Row E - Grave Number 21 as indicated by the red dot on a green background on the above plan of Tincourt New British Cemetery, Tincourt-Boucly, France.

For those wishing to visit the area a little background to Tincourt during World War One can be read [here]

 

 

September Lodge Meetings

The lodge has resolved to display an image of Bro Gabriel Bullock during the September Lodge Meeting each year to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

 

Armistice Day

The Lodge will also purchase and lay a wreath from the Lodge at the Haslingden War Memorial on Armistice Day in November each year.

Acknowledgements

The Lodge of Amity and Rossendale Forest No.283 is indebted to
WBro Stuart Rayton and WBro Ray Godwin for their investigations.
WBro Dennis Heskett and WBro Ian Haworth for their contribution
and to the following organisations:
| The Imperial War Museum | Haslingden War Heroes | Masonic Great War Project |
| Commonwealth War Graves Commission | The War Graves Photographic Project |
for the information provided for this page..


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