Gerald William West: Saturday 25th September 1915
Gerald was commissioned as 2nd Lieu on the 15 August 1914 in the 2nd Batt. Royal Sussex Regiment. He was killed in action on the first day of the battle of Loos when British losses were considerable, his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
He is also commemorated on Emmanuel School’s Roll of Honour and the Regimental memorial in St George’s Chapel, Chichester Cathedral.
Gerald was born in Hull on the 18 April 1892. He was educated at Hymers College Hull, Emanuel School from 1904-9 (his death was noted in the School Magazine in December 1915), and King’s College London. He was 2nd Lieutenant in the OTC.
His father, M Henry F Dollond West of 1 Ravenslea Road, was a Civil Servant, Customs and Excise Superintendent Inspector and acted as honorary recruiting officer at Wandsworth Town Hall. Gerald was one of seven children all of whom survived to adulthood. In 1911 three children were living in Ravenslea Road, Gerald a Civil Service student, Reginald, 26, a Bank of England clerk and Marjorie G 20, a student of domestic economy.