Joseph William Thomas Gale was born on 14 April 1899 in Walworth, London, the second of the eight children of Joseph Frederick Cooper Gale (1872-1927) and Catherine Emma Gale née Storrar (1872-1955). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1899 in the St Saviour, Southwark Registration District, London. On 3 May 1899 he was baptised in St John the Evangelist Church, Walworth, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that his family are shown as living at 273 East Street, Walworth and that his father was a carman.
He was shown as Joseph Gale, aged 1 year, in the 1901 census, living in three rooms at 1 Queens Buildings, Glengate Road, Camberwell, London, with his parents and his sister Annie Lydia Victoria Gale (1897-1968). His father was described as a carrier carman.
When the 1911 census return form was completed by his father, he was shown as aged 11 years and a schoolchild, living in two rooms at 29 Trafalgar Street, Walworth, with his parents and four siblings: Annie Lydia Victoria Gale; Albert Edward Gale (b.1902); Alice Catherine Emma Gale (1904-1989) and Louisa Dorothy Gale (1907-1993) all, apart from the last, being shown as schoolchildren. His father listed himself as a carman and his wife as a charwoman.
Two further siblings were born: George William Henry Gale (1912-1985) and Leonard Frederick Cooper Gale (1915-1984).
He enlisted as a Private in The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment, service number G/25342 in Camberwell and was serving in their 1st Battalion when he was killed in action, aged 18 years, on 12 April 1918. His body was in The Huts Cemetery, Steenakkerstraat, Dikkebus, 8900 Ypres, Belgium.
On 16 August 1918 his army effects totalling £2-14s-8d were sent to his father who by then was living in the family home at 12 Grange Road, West Molesey, Surrey. His father was also sent his £3-0s-0d war gratuity on 28 November 1919. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'J. W. T. GALE' on the East Molesey War Memorial at Molesey Lock, Hurst Road, East Molesey and as 'J.W.T. GALE' on the at Walton Road, West Molesey. He is also commemorated on the on the and on the .
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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