Lance/Corporal
Herbert Gavin
6238 8th East Lancashire Regiment "D" Coy
Born in Manchester
Killed in Action 15th July 1916, aged 19
Lived at 135 Barden Lane
Buried in Pozieres
British Cemetery, France - 3.F.30.
Burnley Express 2nd
May 1917
Burnley
News 23rd May 1917
JUVENILE
EFFORTS
(BURNLEY EXPRESS
& ADVERTISER 12th February 1916)
Accompanying a letter
of thanks for a parcel, Lce-corpl. H Gavan (sic), 8th East Lancs Regt.,
forwarded the following verses
The men who stay at home
at ease,
Can go to bed just when they please,
Have lots of ‘bacca and of beer,
But yet I’d rather be out here.
The chaps that stay at
home and dine,
Have lots of victuals and of wine,
With walnuts “shelled” and all good cheer,
But it’s better to be “shelled” out here
The chaps who stay -
the lucky dogs,
Can stroll about in tailored togs,
But though my make-up may be queer,
I’d rather be a scarecrow here.
The chaps who stay at
home can play,
At tennis throughout the summer’s day,
And ne’er fall, bleeding to the rear,
Yet it is finer to be bleeding here
Sweethearting - oh ! You lucky chaps,
Who go a-wooing ! Well perhaps,
Unless I get a nasty scratch,
I’ll get a girl when I come back.
Why yes ! Who knows ?
There still may be,
Some girl to love a bloke like me,
There’s a girl I know would shed a tear,
If I went under way out here.
The men who stay at home
at ease,
May list, or enlist as they please,
For me - oh Heaven ! With conscience clear, I much prefer to die out here.
Herbert
did "die out here" - on the 15th of July 1916, only a few months
after writing his poem. He was killed whilst his battalion were attacking
Pozieres
WOUNDED IN JUNE, AND NOW MISSING
(BURNLEY
EXPRESS AND ADVERTISER 19th August 1916)
The Parents of Lance-Corpl. (6238) Gavin
of the East Lancashire Regt. , who live at 32 Ashfield -road Burnley,
have received word that he has been missing since July 15. The soldier
was reported slightly wounded on June 27 but he returned to duty, and
was missing after an action on July 15. Before enlisting he was a weaver
at Messrs. burrows Britannia Mill
