Gordon Malcolm Panter

Born 1897 – Died 1st July 1916

14th County of London Battalion, (London Scottish)

Gordon Malcolm Panter was born in Hatfield in 1897, the younger son of Albert Edward and Ada Elizabeth Panter. His father was a railway clerk on the Great Northern Railway and at the time of his birth they were living in the Great Northern Station House, Hatfield.

In 1914, at the age of 17, Gordon became the organist at St. John's church, Lemsford. The Lemsford Notes of the Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine for October 1914 record that he played the organ for the Harvest Festival Services that year. 'There was no anthem and every effort was made to bring the services into close connection with the war.'. Geoffrey E. Gartside was appointed organist in January 1916 after Gordon had left to join the army. Gordon enlisted in December 1915 and joined the 14th County of London Battalion, (London Scottish) as Private 5311. He died on the 1st of July 1916 aged 19. The Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine for August 1916 reported that he had been officially recorded as missing and there was still no news of him by the time the September magazine was issued.

The 1st of July 1916 was the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Gordon's battalion formed part of the 56th Division which was involved in the fighting at Gommecourt Wood, about eight miles north of Albert. This was a 'supplementary' operation with the aim of eliminating a German stronghold in the wood as well as diverting German troops from the main Somme offensive further south. Although some gains were made the losses cancelled them out. Private, 5311 Gordon Malcolm Panter of the London Regiment (London Scottish) C Coy. 1st/14th Battalion is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 9C and 13C . The Memorial commemorates 72,191 missing British and South Aftrican men who died in the Battles of the Somme with no known grave. Thiepval is a village a few miles north-north-east of Albert.

No record of attending St John's School

LEMSFORD WAR MEMORIAL 1914 - 1918
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR

 



Lemsford local History Group WW1 Records


Memories & Letters

Memories from the people of Lemsford Parish – letters from the Front and home and much, much more

Local Parish Magazine

From the Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine 1914 to 1918, Church- Social - War Records

Servicemen of Lemsford

War records from 98 men who went to war. We show their memories images and why we should never forget them.


5 Facts the Great War


The total number of deaths includes about 10 million military
The total number of deaths includes about 7 million civilians.
98 Servicemen/Women went from lemsford
78 returned back to Lemsford Parish
20 men Never came back


Battles of WW1


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