This is from research carried out on Gilbert Ringham Tyler , more information will hopefully be added for the wider family.
Gilbert was born 28th February 1897 in Thurlby and baptised at the Top Chapel- this was the Free Methodist Chapel on the Green (now a private house)
Gilbert’s father was Thomas Tyler and he originated from Helpston, Peterborough, where at 16 he was an agricultural labourer living with his family.
In 1891 Thomas was a boarder in Northorpe Lane living with Harriet Ringham head of the house and a grocer. Harriet had a daughter also Harriet, a dressmaker. Thomas at this time was a coal agent.
Thomas married the daughter Harriett sometime after 1891 and by 1901 they had their first son Gilbert Ringham Tyler, they were living at Station Road, Thomas was still a coal agent.
Gilbert Tyler Back row 2nd from right
By the 1911 census the Tyler family, now with a further three sons, Frederick, Frank and Ernest were living in Northorpe. Thomas was still a Coal Agent but also a Farmer and Gilbert was working on his father’s farm.
Gilbert appeared to be very active in the Methodist Church
1912 Flower Festival at the Methodist Chapel – Gilbert on the far left of the back row.
Gilbert did not volunteer to go to war and in November 1916 he applied for exemption from conscription but was refused, he was sent to join the 2/5th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment.
The Battalion had been formed on the 28th September 1914 but spent two years in England training and working together. The men were very frustrated at not “going and doing their duty” and so it was with relief that they embarked for Le Havre on 5th January 1917. It must have been a very difficult time for Gilbert, joining a unit that had been together for so long, he as a raw recruit.
The 2/5th Battalion were involved in the front line at Miraumont, Bullecourt, Vaux-Vraucourt, Noreuil, near Lannicourt again at Bullecourt for many months, Havrincourt, Graincourt, Bourlon Wood, Oppy, Bucquoy, Fonquevillers-Essart, Essart, Biez Wood, East of Fonquevillers, Bucquoy, Pourcy, in between there was rest and working parties, training, moving up for attacks, staging camps and cleaning up.
On the 27th July at Chaumuzy the 2/5th were in support of other Battalions and were in the attack on Bligney it was here that Gilbert was killed in action on the 31st July 1918
There follows an extract from the book “Massacre on the Marne” The Life and Death of the 2/5th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment in the Great War by Fraser Skirrow – an excellent book which follows the Battalion form formation to it’s cessation on the 18th August 1918, the map above also comes from the book.
“The final action of the 2/5th cost the lives of a further twenty-two men Ernest Irvine, Joe Sykes, Thomas Whincup, Arthur Williamson, Walter Whetstone, George Allinson, Robert Barker, Clifford Campbell, Frnest Chadwick, Alfred Dent, Norman Feather, Edwin Harvey, John Johnson, Walter Magson, Harold Snell, Walter Spivey, Joseph Teasdale, Gilbert Tyler, Ebenezer Watson, Fred Robertshaw, Herbert Sharp and Ernest Butler.
Thurlby Village together with Northorpe 