Gnr
Edwin Gladstone Latheron
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 22/12/1887 |
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Place of birth: Carlinghow, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Professional Footballer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Gunner |
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Service number: 160461 |
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Enlistment date: 01/01/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Blackburn, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Field Artillery, 73rd Bty. 5th Bde. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 14/10/1917 |
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Place of death: La Belle Alliance, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 29 |
Cemetery
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Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery Plot: XI Row: F Grave: 2 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Gunner Latheron Edwin Gladstone served at the 73th Battery of the 5th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery (2nd Army).
He was a professional footballer and as an England international and two-time league champion, Latheron played more than 300 games in 11 years for the Blackburn Rovers. Edwin scored a total of 120 goals for the Blue and Whites. He was married with Bertha Livesey and had one son, named Walter.
In October 1917, the brigade was positioned near La Belle Alliance had been part of the artillery support for the first assault on the village of Paschendaele. In dire conditions, British guns had been bogged down in the quagmire and had also run short of ammunition. Furthermore, German counter-battery fire had been highly-effective and heavy losses were sustained. Among the dead was Latheron, who was killed on 14 October 1917. He was 29-years-old.
The newspapers reported Latheron’s death, quoting a letter written by his Rovers teammate, Alex McGhie, who was also serving on the Western Front. In it, he said:
“A shell burst near their dugout and the splinters, passing through the opening, killed Latheron and another gunner. Latheron was happy and strong and was a tremendous worker, and if anybody has done his bit in this war it is he”.
Gunner Latheron Edwin Gladstone was buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, plot XI, row F, Grave 2.
He was a professional footballer and as an England international and two-time league champion, Latheron played more than 300 games in 11 years for the Blackburn Rovers. Edwin scored a total of 120 goals for the Blue and Whites. He was married with Bertha Livesey and had one son, named Walter.
In October 1917, the brigade was positioned near La Belle Alliance had been part of the artillery support for the first assault on the village of Paschendaele. In dire conditions, British guns had been bogged down in the quagmire and had also run short of ammunition. Furthermore, German counter-battery fire had been highly-effective and heavy losses were sustained. Among the dead was Latheron, who was killed on 14 October 1917. He was 29-years-old.
The newspapers reported Latheron’s death, quoting a letter written by his Rovers teammate, Alex McGhie, who was also serving on the Western Front. In it, he said:
“A shell burst near their dugout and the splinters, passing through the opening, killed Latheron and another gunner. Latheron was happy and strong and was a tremendous worker, and if anybody has done his bit in this war it is he”.
Gunner Latheron Edwin Gladstone was buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, plot XI, row F, Grave 2.
Sources 7
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"The Burnley News" Saturday 27/10/1917, page 2 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000699/19171027/029/0002 Sources used |
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"The Lancashire Daily Post" 27/10/1917, page 15 Sources used |
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Ancestry https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1543&h=384604&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=wYR1&_phstart=successSource Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4032402/latheron,-/ Sources used |
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Football and first World War https://www.footballandthefirstworldwar.org/eddie-latheron-footballer/ Sources used |
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The Long Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |
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War Diary: 5thArmyBrigade_RFA_WO-95-455-3: The National Archives' reference WO-95-455-3_01 Sources used |