Month: November 2018

John Lancelot Gibson, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, was killed in action in France on the 27th May, 1918, aged 22 years.

Lance was born in 1896 and attended Bootham School from 1910 to 1913. He was a good cricketer and enjoyed Entomology at school.  The school magazine, “Bootham”, contains details of his collecting.

The March 1911 issue of “Bootham” contains The Seventy-seventh Annual Report of Bootham School (York) Natural History, Literary & Polytechnic Society, January, 1911:

“NATURAL HISTORY DIARIES.

“Of the diaries by younger boys that by Fisher is undoubtedly the best. He gives a good account of the type of animal which lives in the shells he collects. Others deserving of encouragement are A. S. Hamilton, Wilson, Lambert, Smithson, Benson, Gibson, Carr and Schad.

PRIZE LIST.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Natural History Diaries                   J. L. Gibson,

WORKSHOP.

Vivaria, &c.                                       J. L. Gibson”

 

“Bootham” of May 1911 contains the school Athletics Report:

“JUNIOR CUP.

100 Yards                                            2 J L Gibson.

220 Yards                                            2 J. L. Gibson

120 Yards Handicap (Junior)            2 J. L. Gibson”

The March 1912 issue of “Bootham” contains The Seventy-eighth Annual Report of Bootham School Natural History, Literary & Polytechnic Society. January, 1912:

“NATURAL HISTORY CLUB.

At the beginning of the Autumn Term a small exhibition of Holiday Work was held in the Art Room. The Plants of J. M. Goodbody and G. S. Adair, together with the Beetles of J. L. Gibson, deserve special mention,….

ENTOMOLOGY.

Gibson and Benson both made excellent collections of beetles. Gibson, who has only collected a year shows very careful work, but better arrangement of his localities would be desirable.

(Report of Christmas Show says that “The two beetle collections are good ones. Taking into account the year’s work, J. L. Gibson’s is considered rather better than R. H. Benson’s.” )

ZOOLOGY.

So far as the Show Exhibits are concerned, most of the work sent in was ornithological. Two good diaries on pets were, however, sent in, the one which gained first prize being a record of some mice kept by T. H. O’Brien and V. L. Benson in a cage in one of the arbours, while J. L. Gibson and H. Sampson exhibited some guinea pigs, kept in an ingenious cage in the Boys’ Gardens.

(Report of Christmas Show says ” Mice and guinea pigs with diaries represent the pet work. It is not so good as that shown last year. We hope that T. H. O’Brien and V. L. Benson will continue their very interesting observations on mice and H. Sampson and J. L. Gibson on their guinea-pigs.”)

WORKSHOP

J. L. Gibson’s table took third place, it did not show as much work and skill as the others but still did him credit. Gibson managed successfully to evade the ” No’ wet paint or varnish ” law and to bother the judges by oiling his table.

(Report of Christmas Show says “Carr’s chess table is also excellent and beautifully finished, it is much superior to Gibson’s, which was very greasy from linseed oil and smaller, though it too stands well.”)

PRIZE LIST.

NATURAL HISTORY

Pets                                       J. L. Gibson

Coleoptera                            J. L. Gibson

Natural History Diaries       J. L. Gibson

Tables                                   J. L. Gibson “

“Bootham” of November 1912, lists J L Gibson in 2^nd X1 Cricket team.

The March 1913 issue of “Bootham” contains The Seventy-ninth Annual Report of Bootham School Natural History, Literary & Polytechnic Society. January, 1913:

“ENTOMOLOGY.

Of the Coleopterists, J. L. Gibson has by far the largest collection, which he has doubled this year. He has succeeded in hatching out several larvae collected at Rannoch. His best specimens are Cetonia floricola, Creophilus masalossus, and Hister cadaverinus.

Four collections of beetles are sent up. Of these J. L. Gibson’s takes the first place, followed by C. V. Brown, R. H. Benson and C. Wigham. It may be noted that Cetonia floricola from Rannoch is probably an introduced specimen. Many attempts have been made to introduce this handsome beetle in various stations north of its usual limit, but as a rule without success.

OLD SCHOLARS’ NATURAL HISTORY EXHIBITION, CHRISTMAS, 1912.

PRIZE LIST.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Coleoptera                         J. L. Gibson

WORKSHOP .

Garden Seats                    J. L. Gibson “

The March 1914 issue of “Bootham” contains The Eightieth Annual Report OF Bootham School Natural History, Literary & Polytechnic Society January, 1914:

“NATURAL HISTORY CLUB.

ENTOMOLOGY.

COLEOPTERA.— J. L. Gibson is now the only member left in this branch of the Club. He has a collection numbering about one hundred and eighty specimens, and has added about thirty to his collection this year, among which are Histerida; quadrimaculatus, Carabus violaceus, Silpha atrata and Attelabus curculionoides. It is to be hoped that new members will join this branch of natural history after the show. It is a pity that opportunities should be missed in such a splendid district as York.

ART

Judge’s report:

“With the kind help of an expert I am able to judge that the three mechanical drawings sent in are very good.  Lamb’s drilling machine and Gibson’s petrol motor are of about equal excellence, and Spence’s row-boat motor is only one mark behind them.”

PRIZE LIST.

NATURAL HISTORY

Entomology                        J. L. Gibson

ART.

Mechanical Drawings     J. L. Gibson”

Lance left Bootham School in 1913.  The March 1914 issue of “Bootham” magazine included the following:

“Bene Decessit

J. L. GIBSON came to Bootham in September, 1910, and was successively in all classes up to the Upper Senior. He was a good entomologist, and amassed a considerable collection of coleoptera. His height giving him an advantage in cricket, he made a successful fast bowler: and was moreover a useful batsman. Some very good photographs in the Christmas shows for two or three years back have been by Gibson. He is going to take up farming.”

The London Gazette tells us that:

“John Lancelot Gibson to be Second Lieutenant. Dated 18th August, 1915.”

In March 1916, “Bootham” magazine reports, under “Bootham School War Lists”:

“Under Military Discipline :— [Those whose rank is not stated may or may not be privates.]

Gibson, J. L., Lieut., Howitzer Brigade, R.F.A.”

“Bootham” magazine of October 1916 has news of Lance:

“Bootham Oversea

“THANK you very much for the kindly message you sent me from the Whitsuntide gathering. How I wish I could have been with you all at that time. Looking back on the good old days, I seem to have wandered far from the doctrine which was taught at Bootham, but by joining in this gigantic struggle I believe I am doing something towards bringing about a peace that will be a lasting peace. At the same time I admire those who have held back because it is contrary to what they think is right. ” ……………………..

LIEUT. J. LANCE GIBSON (1910-1913), ***** Brigade, from whose letter of June 30th I have quoted the opening extract, continues :

“We out here are looking forward to what the Germans termed ‘Der Tag, ‘ and I believe the end is at last in sight. I have been out here since the beginning of February We were out on rest during May and I was very fortunate in being billeted in the same village as the F.A.U., where I spent a number of evenings with Cedric Brown, Arnold Worsdell, Sam Lithgow, and others.” “

And in the same issue:

“Across the Months

J. L. GIBSON, B.E.F. , has received the Whitsuntide card. Whilst out “on rest” during May he spent nearly every evening with the F.A.U. He saw “VIPONT, who has now gone down to the base. It was pleasant to see old friends again in the forms of W. S. WIGHAM, GRIPPER, and WORSDELL, and we celebrated our meeting by a good dinner and a sing-song. Have you any idea what unit RATTRAY belongs to? ” “

“Bootham” magazine of May 1918 includes a list of Old York Scholars in War-time Service:

“Old York Scholars serving in the Navy and Army.

Gibson, J. L., Capt., R.F.A.”

and in the same issue we hear news of him:

“Across the Months

J. LANCE GIBSON (1910-13) has already spent two years out at the war, having a pretty hot time, and can now hardly imagine life without it. He welcomes school news as a refreshing change after the usual topics, “war and meat queues.” “

Then in December 1918, “Bootham” magazine reports:

“Deaths

GIBSON.—On 27th May, 1918, killed in action in France, John Lancelot Gibson, of Newcastle-on-Tyne (1910-13), aged 22.”

 The April 1919 issue of “Bootham” includes the following:

“In Memoriam

JOHN LANCELOT GIBSON (1910-13) came to Bootham in September, 1910. He was always active in more than one branch of out-of-school work, including ornithology and the metal workshop. He played in the 2nd XI. football and 1st XI. cricket during 1912 and 1913. Leaving at the end of the Christmas term, 1913, Gibson went to serve his apprenticeship at a farm in Northumberland.

In September, 1915, he and Eric B. Butler obtained their commissions in the same Howitzer Brigade. Gibson went out to Flanders in the following March, and for some time was near Ypres.

He was in the Somme offensive, 1916, and the advance to Passchendaele during the late summer and autumn of 1917. It was during this advance that Butler was killed at the end of September.

 Gibson’s last leave was in March a year ago, and in May his brigade moved south towards Rheims. After the German advance there at the end of that month he was reported “missing.” In August his parents received news from the War Office that he had been killed in action on the morning of May 27th, 1918. He was 22 years of age.”

Lieutenant John Lancelot Gibson is commemorated at the Soissons Memorial, France.

 

Nevill Hampton Wallis died of wounds received in action in France on 25^th May 1918, aged 26 years.

Nevill attended Bootham from 1905 to 1909.  His hobbies at school included music and archaeology, and he was a member of the school Natural History Society.

The school magazine, “Bootham”, of Febraury 1906 contains a report of the Christmas Exhibition, Natural History of 1905. It shows that Nevill won a prize for Entomology.

“ENTOMOLOGY. It is pleasing to note that several boys have taken up this deserving branch since last show. Thus we find several collections in progress, most of which are as yet small. …….Wallis and Burford each have made a good beginning……… ..”

Nevill continued collecting and in the following Christmas Exhibition he won another prize for Entomology:

“ENTOMOLOGY. …….  N. H. Wallis also has a small collection of butterflies and a few moths.”

In early 1907, Nevill became a curator of Entomology in the school Natural History Society. In the Autumn term of 1907, he joined the committee of the school Junior Essay Society.

The report of the Autumn School Term in “Bootham” of February 1908 tells us:

“Often on Wednesday evenings you can hear loud applause from the Lower Schoolroom, where the Junior Essay Society holds its conclaves. The meetings are characterised by a deal of good, sensible work, papers and discussion, some diverting nonsense, and the able management of the Committee, Todd, Brockbank, Pearman, Wallis and Milner.”

 “Bootham” of June 1908 has the report of the Spring Term.

“The concerts this Term were of unusual interest, and were especially welcome, as our athletic events had suffered so from rain.

Of no less interest was the Upper Schoolroom concert, about ten days later. A quartette, consisting of Wallis, Watson, Pearman and Brockbank, first sang, Barringer played a piano solo, Clothier recited ” Ben and the Butter,” Wallis played on the ‘cello, then came a scene from Alice in Wonderland, in which Gibbons, Brockbank, Gray and Lister took the parts. Last of all was a chorus by the class.”

 In 1909, Nevill became a curator of Drawing at school, and also of Meteorology. He took readings of the Sun Recorder.

In the Autumn Term of 1908, Nevill passed the Cambridge Extension Examination.

“The Cambridge Extension Lectures were given this term by J. B. Stoughton-Holborn, M.A., on Gothic Architecture. Most of the Lower Senior and a few of the Upper Senior took the course, and the examination in December resulted in the following eleven boys passing out of the fifteen who entered :— L. H. Gilbert (with distinction), C. L. Ashby, R. E. Barringer, F . A. Brockbank, N. M. Brown, W. E. J. Clothier, A. C. Dent, A. S. Jennings, A. H. Pumphrey, N. H. Wallis and A. B. Webster. A larger number might have done likewise but for the rule debarring boys younger than 15 from taking the examination.”

The report of the Autumn School Term also includes the following:

“The Charades, based on the “The Rivals,” were given at the Retreat, on Wednesday night, and in the John Bright Library on the last night. …….. Wallis and Milner contributed some very good scenery.”

 Nevill’s entry in “Bene Decessit” in the October 1909 issue of “Bootham” reads:

“NEVILL H. WALLI S leaves from the Lower Senior. A good musician and archaeologist.”

 The next we hear of Nevill is in the July 1918 Issue of “Bootham”, which reports Nevill’s death:

“WALLIS.—On the 25th May, 1918, of wounds received in action in France, Nevill Hampton Wallis, of Brighton (1905-9), in his 26th year.”

and

“In Memoriam

NEVILL HAMPTON WALLIS (1905-9) died of wounds at Wimereux Hospital the Saturday we were meeting at Jordans. He was wounded on April 30th by a shell bursting about two feet from him and blowing him into the air; in hospital his left leg was amputated above the knee; his left arm had been badly shattered. His parents were with him for a fortnight and he passed peacefully away on the 25th. The funeral took place next day at Boulogne Cemetery. He was in the R.F.A., and had been continuously with his Battery in the 9th Division (so much praised by Sir Douglas Haig) since April, 1917. He was a Second Lieutenant, and had served nine months in 1916 with the Artists’ Rifles.”

The December 1918 issue of “Bootham” contains a letter from Nevill’s father:

“In Memoriam

NEVILL HAMPTON WALLIS (1905-09). See last number of BOOTHAM.

His father writes :—

“It has been a great consolation to know how he was really loved by his men. Three have called on us—two on leave and one wounded, in hospital. They all say his men were his first care. He started a canteen for them, which was most successful, and provided them with many comforts. One told us that if there was a dangerous job to be done he would always go himself instead of sending a man, and, as he put it, ‘ Mr. Wallis could always get what he wanted done without giving an order.’ ”

N. H. Wallis, previous to the war had a position on the staff of Messrs. R. Fry and Co., the Brighton firm of mineral water manufacturers, of which his father is the managing director. “

Second Lieutenant Nevill Hampton Wallis is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France.

Archibald Carmichael, of Coldstream, died of wounds received in action in France on the 22nd May, 1918, aged 26 years.

Archibald was born in 1892 and attended Bootham School from 1906 to 1908.  At school he played 2nd XII football and was a member of the Natural History society and Photographic club.

In the school Christmas Exhibition of 1906, Archibald won the Workshop Prize for Bookshelves.

The February 1908 issue of the school magazine, “Bootham”, contains  The Seventy-fourth Annual Report of Bootham School (York) Natural History, Literary & Polytechnic Society of January, 1908, including the following:

“CONCHOLOGY.

A. Carmichael has started this term, but as winter is not the time for shell collecting, he has had very little opportunity of doing much.

CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION, 1907. NATURAL HISTORY.

I I. Conchology.—………….F. A. Brockbank shows 23 species of marine shells, and A. Carmichael a tiny but most promising set of six species.

VII. Oology.—First comes F. A. Brockbank, who has collected 38 species, all this year. ………….E. B. Marriage has 40 species, of which 21 have been shown before. ……………………… A. Carmichael comes third with 22 species.”

The February 1909 issue of “Bootham” contains the Seventy-fifth Annual Report OF Bootham School (York) Natural History, Literary & Polytechnic Society. January, 1909, which includes the following:

“NATURAL HISTORY CLUB.

The Ornithological reports of C. N. Levin, A. Carmichael, B. Pickard, R. B. Graham and F. A. Brockbank also deserve mention, for they were all the records of careful observations in various parts of the country.

CONCHOLOGY.

A. Carmichael has increased his collection by 32 species

NATURAL HISTORY DIARIES.

A. Carmichael and B. Pickard’s works both deal with birds and shells, and both have excellent illustrations of the latter.

ZOOLOGY.

Oology has also prospered, and Marriage, Brockbank and Carmichael have good collections.

 PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB.

The quality and amount of Photography have been better on the whole than last year, and quite up to the average. A. Carmichael and A. H. Pumphrey filled the places on the Committee occupied before by C. Rowntree and E. R. Midgley.”

A report on the School Term in the same issue reports that A Carmichael joined the football committee for the 3rd and 4th teams.  This issue also includes:

“Bene Decessit

ARCHIBALD CARMICHAEL entered in September, 1906, and leaves from the Upper Senior to enter his father’s business. Second X L half-back; hobby, conchology.”

We next hear of Archibald in the March 1915 issue of “Bootham”:

“Bootham School War Lists. Under Military Discipline:—

[Those whose rank is not stated may or may not be privates.]

CARMICHAEL, A., Lothian Border Horse. Trooper.”

 In “Bootham” of March 1916, we read:

 “Bootham School War Lists. Under Military Discipline :—

[Those whose rank is not stated may or may not be privates.]

Carmichael, A., Trooper, Lothian Border Horse, 26th Division.”

and in the section “Across the Months”, we hear from Archibald himself:

“A. CARMICHAEL was in the neighbourhood of Salonika when he wrote on February 13th. He says that his chief employment is ” touring Europe at British Government expense. To be a little more precise, I was mobilised with the Territorial Forces when war broke out, and for a year the regiment (the Lothians and Border Horse) was on coast-defence work.”  After being in France he was sent to Greece. ” Since landing on December 18th we have lain at four camps. Six weeks at L. is, however, the only period worth mentioning. Our duties were to patrol the whole country between the entrenching camp and S., on a front of roughly eight miles. . . . Villages are dotted all over the hills, and look quite pretty with their brown-tiled and white chimneyed houses ; and a minaret, purest white, in the clear sunlight. . . . The people, mostly Turks, are civil and even courteous on occasion, our officers having been regaled with honey and coffee. .. . I have been reading the December number of BOOTHAM. I might go on to tell of the joys and sorrows of this life—natural Turkish baths; soakings, and the subsequent drying; parcels from home ; days on the hills, when the sun shines from a sky of purest blue, and a keen wind makes one’s ears tingle with the breath of the snowmantled mountains; and, best of all, I think, a good batch of letters. ” A. C. regards a hot sulphur spring as a great boon, a small swimming-bath about 15 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. deep. There has been plenty of snow in his district. One day, when they were lunching, three eagles settled near them (absit omen!)”

Archibald wrote again, as we read in “Bootham” of October 1916:

“A. CARMICHAEL sends a confession from Greece that he experienced nervousness on seeing some of his sentences in print in BOOTHAM. He begs for mercy this time, as literary aspirations suffer under the strain of Macedonia’s summer heat. So we will only add that in July he longed for strawberries and cream at the Cocoa Work s party ten days after he had lost four teeth in twenty-five minutes to a Greek-American dentist in Salonika.”

We hear more of Archibald in “Bootham” of June 1917:

“Bootham Oversea

A. CARMICHAEL (1906-1909) writes from Salonica, where he is as contented as he can be “under war conditions,”though longing” for a sight of the home folk and familiar surroundings.” Of his recent doings he says : “We have just got settled after an eight days’ march from a precautionary front where nothing happened, to one where guns boom and roar without stop, and aircraft are very active. Our camp is in a safe and cosy corner of hills and work is at present light. Our principal duty is to guard a station on the shore of a now famous lake. A few kilometres distant is the town it served in peace time, which is in Bulgar hands. They have a magnificent position, which I should think only a huge artillery preparation and considerable sacrifice of life could reduce.” There was a great air fight yesterday, a dozen or so machines taking part; only at intervals were they overhead, and we could not make much out of the general mess-up. A few bits of shells came whistling down near us.” A few days ago I had a note from A. S. Jennings; he is in General Hospital at Salonika.” It is not long since A. C. was himself in hospital with malaria, and has only just escaped the same fate a short time before writing.

Across the Months

A. S. JENNING sent good wishes for Whitsuntide from the Salonika district, where he has met CARMICHAEL looking very fit.”

In “Bootham” of May 1918, we hear more of Archibald:

“Bootham Oversea

ARNOLD S. JENNINGS (1907-11) writes most interestingly from Salonika, where he has at last been run to earth after many and devious postal pursuits. He refers to this epistolary game of Hare and Hounds as follows: “The idea of invoking the aid of ‘ The Hielan Laddie ‘ [the ‘ H. L.’ is ARCHIE CARMICHAEL (1906-9)] was fine, and you see it has proved successful. He visited me some months ago and I had a very pleasant hour with him. But from the time I saw him clamber upon a W.D . motor lorry and begin his bumpy journey to town I have neither seen nor heard of him. Where has he vanished to? I rather think he must be in England. “This surmise is correct. A. CARMICHAEL is at present training for a Commission in the R.F.A., near Exeter. “

Later in the same issue we read:

“O.Y.S. War-time Service Lists.

Old York Scholars serving in the Navy and Army.

Carmichael, A., Sec. Lieut., R.F.A.”

However it was not long before “Bootham” of July 1918 reported:

“Bootham Oversea

It may be remembered that in a previous letter A. S. J. referred affectionately to ” The Hielan’ Laddie” (ARCHIE CARMICHAEL). It was with very real sorrow that we received from Mrs. Carmichael the sad news that her son Archie had died of wounds on May 22nd. Those of us who were privileged to be counted amongst his friends know how true that friendship was. Both as a boy and as a man he was remarkable for his unfailing good temper and for his steadfastness. We shall miss him greatly, but though his physical presence has passed away from us, there is still left to us his example. It is an example of courage and of comradeship, two qualities of inestimable value in the world to-day. B.P.

 In Memoriam

ARCHIBALD CARMICHAEL (1906-8). His father wrote the sad news on May 23rd that Archie died of wounds the day before.” We had a letter from him this morning dated 18th, when he was well and on duty, so he has not been long.”

 Deaths

CARMICHAEL.—On the 22nd May, 1918, of wounds received in action in France, Archibald Carmichael (1906-8), aged 26.”

The December 1918 issue of “Bootham” contains the following “In Memoriam”:

“ARCHIBALD CARMICHAEL (1906-08). Everybody liked Archie. He had a real genius for friendship, and a fund of good humour that made him a friend worth having. At work he combined a true zest for certain subjects with a capacity for not taking life too seriously; at play, whether it was on the field at Bootham, during an N.H. excursion, or beside his beloved Tweed at home, he was keenness itself, taking a live interest in what was going forward, and always ready and anxious to share that interest with others. Sociability was perhaps his chief characteristic.

At the outbreak of war Archie was in camp with his Territorial regiment, the Lothian and Border Horse. He expected to go to France at once, but it was not till November, 1915, that he left this country, and then for Salonika. Here he stayed for about two years, and his letters showed that he was making the most of his experiences, and observing nature and human nature as was his wont. Occasionally he would betray his longing for the Old Country, and when at last he came home for his commission his joy in the old places and old faces knew no bounds. But his sojourn in England passed all too rapidly, and in the spring of this year, having been gazetted to the R.F.A., he went once more to the front, this time to France. He had not been away a month before the news reached home that he had died of wounds on May 22nd. He will be sorely missed by some of us to whom his genial comradeship meant much, and there is no way of showing our loyalty to his memory that would please him more than by increasing our loyalty to the school he loved so well.   B. P.”

Second Lieutenant Archibald Carmichael of the Royal Field Artillery is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery, Somme, France.