Among the 1,500 names included in the Colchester Town Hall roll call of honour of those killed in the First and Second World Wars is the name of Shirley Ghent’s grandmother.
But she didn’t actually die until 1955 when she was in fact 87-years-old.
Shirley, who lives in Stanway, in Colchester, says the story of how her grandmother ended up being listed among those honoured for giving their lives in the First World War was something they often talked about.
“But then it came up again over the dinner table at Christmas and I thought I should actually talk about it before I was gone and the story went with me,” explains Shirley, 86.
Shirley says her grandmother, Elizabeth Bather, was born in the Clacton area but later moved to Colchester.
She had previously been married in the late 1800s and had two sons, George and Tom Gibson, before remarrying to become Elizabeth Bather, explains Shirley.
- Elizabeth Bather
Her mother Gladys was Elizabeth’s daughter.
Shirley explains: “Both of the boys were together in the Essex Regiment and went to Belgium in 1914 where sadly George was killed.
“We are going by hearsay but we were told his brother buried him but he has since been brought back and re-buried.”
Following his death, says Shirley, Elizabeth had to fill in forms concerning George’s death and it is thought this is where the mix-up occurred leading to her own name and not her son’s appearing on the Town Hall’s roll call of honour.
“She was not very well educated and we think she must have got confused and filled in the form wrong and put her own name down instead of George’s so it looked like she had died and not him,” says Shirley.
She says the error on the memorial, hanging on the wall in the foyer of the Town Hall in the High Street, was pointed out at the time to the council.
- Shirley Ghent
“It was mentioned that it was wrong but back in the Twenties they did not want it altered.
“Nanna Bather, as we all called her, used to laugh about it and said she used to go in there and have a look at her name.”
The family has confirmed George’s part in the war via a historical web-site which lists all those killed during both wars called everymanremembered.org
“We found him on there and he is listed as Lance Corporal George Gibson 9588 Essex Regiment 1914, which was the year he died. There are also details of where he was buried.
“I don’t knowwhether it will ever be changed on the roll call but as far as I knowmy gran’s name is still there.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here