Photo: Bacon and Co Durham School Record
Sir Samuel Sadler
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Lady Sadler
Menin Gate Memorial
Medal Index Card
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Gerard Gloag Sadler was the youngest son of Samuel Alexander Sadler, born in 1842 at Oldbury, Worcestershire, and his second wife, Mercy Sadler Field.
Gerard was born on the 12th January 1881 at The Villas, Preston-on-Tees, near Eaglescliffe, and baptised at Yarm on the 27th February 1881. He had 3 full blood brothers: Stanley Aubrey born in 1876, Hereward 1877 and Basil 1880, as well as 3 half siblings from his father’s first marriage: Percy Alexander Field born 1867, Cecil James 1868 and Winifred 1871.
By 1901, Gerard's parents had moved to Southlands and were living attended by their staff: butler, cook, housemaid, under housemaid, gardener, coachman and groom. Their eldest son, Stanley Aubrey, had married, and was living with his wife Irene and son near Eaglescliffe. Hereward joined the Army where he served in India as a Captain. Basil had married Alice May and was living at Craigmore, Ford Road, Lanchester and Cecil James of Park House, Lanchester had married at the Parish Church Amy Roper of Preston Hall 20th June 1894. Their son Cecil Norman was baptised 23rd July 1895 also at the Parish Church.
Gerard Gloag was educated at the Bow School in Durham in Elvet Hill, then Durham School from September 1895 to July 1897, following in the steps of his brother Hereward (1887-1895). He was a member of the fourth crew and the second crew in rowing and won the open steeplechase in 1897.
He originally joined the 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Militia, in 1899, before being transferred to the 3rd (The Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards on the 5th September 1900, as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served in the South African War taking part in several operations in the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, Cape Colony from February 1901 to May 1902. On the 30th March 1901 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.
Gerard married on the 17th November 1908 at Farnborough, Hampshire, Phoebe Margaret Roche, and they had one child Elizabeth born August 1914.
On the 1st April 1910 he was promoted to Captain and retired from the active list on the 8th February 1911 to the Officers Special Reserve. Gerard and his wife went on a Round the World trip and were not present at his father's funeral September 1911.
Gerard was called up, on the outbreak of war, as a Captain of the 3rd (The Prince of Wales's), Dragoon Guards, but then was attached to the 6th Dragoon Guards [Carabiniers]. As a Reservist, he departed in the first wave to the Western Front on the 18th August 1914. Gerard was present at the Battles of Mons, the Marne, the Aisne and Ypres.
He was reported missing after a night attack on the 31st October/1st November 1914 near Ypres.
The Yorkshire Post 10th February 1915 reports:-Captain Gerard Gloag Sadler, of the 3rd Dragoon Guards, who was officially reported wounded and afterwards missing is now stated to have died of wounds. He was the youngest son of the late Sir Samuel Sadler of Middlesbrough and was 34 years of age. He had been 15 years in the Army and got his company in 1910. He had previously seen active service in the South African War. When war was declared Captain Sadler having retired from the Army was attached to the Special reserve. He was staying with his brother Captain Hereward Sadler, of the 6th Dragoon Guards and at once went on active service with his old regiment, the 3rd Dragoon Guards. On October 31st, he took part in the great fight near Ypres. From that day until last week no news has been received by his wife or by his mother Lady Sadler but Captain Hereward Sadler made exhaustive inquiries and he has ascertained that his brother was seriously wounded. At night when the Red Cross men went to pick up the wounded, he and two brother officers and a number of men were lying on the field. Captain Gerard and the other two officers would not allow themselves to be picked up first, but asked the Red Cross detachment to the men first. Next morning when the ambulance men returned to the field, the officers had disappeared and had evidently been captured by the Germans. Last week notification was received from the Swiss Red Cross Committee at Geneva that Captain Gerard Sadler died from his wounds on November 1st.
His sacrifice is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing. He was 33 years old.
Awards: Queen's South Africa Medal, with 5 Clasps; 1914-15 Star, with clasp; British War Medal; Victory Medal.
His widow Phoebe Margaret was living at Tenter Close, Hushthwaite, York at this time.
His nephew 2nd Lieutenant George Young Sadler-Blair, Royal Field Artillery died aged 21 years, July 24th 1915 and interred at Pont-De-Nieppe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Gerard’s brother Stanley Aubrey Sadler died February 11th 1950 at Middlesbrough, Hereward Sadler O.B.E., D.L. also known as Sprot of St. John's Hall, Wolsingham, County Durham died May 17th 1947, Basil Sadler of Craigmore, Lanchester, County Durham died at Shotley Bridge Hospital, January 2nd 1965. The death of his half-brother Percy Alexander Field Sadler preceded his own in 1906. His mother Dame Mercy Sadler Sadler nee Fields of Southlands, Preston-on-Tess, County Durham died May 28th 1939, her step son Cecil James Sadler died December 19th 1939.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Gerard Gloag Sadler is remembered at Malton on M49.01 at Lanchester on L62.01 at Durham on D47.020, D47.043 and D47.057 at Eaglescliffe on E72.01 and E72.05 and at Stockton on Tees on S138.36
