Menin Gate Memorial
D.L.I. Memorial Book
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
There were two Neesham brother who lived in Chilton, St Aidan Triptych lists the name of C. Neasham as having perished in WW1. There are two errors here, firstly in the spelling of the surname, Neasham as opposed to Neesham and secondly in the initial, C as opposed to G.
Charles Neesham did serve in WW1, was awarded the Military Medal and survived, he died in the Don Valley, Yorkshire West Riding in 1972 aged 78 years. It was his brother Gibson Neesham who died during the conflict of WW1 and is remembered at St Aidan Chilton.
Gibson Neesham was born 1897 in Shildon, County Durham, one of 9 children, 4 boys, 3 girls and 2 deceased, born to Thomas Neesham 1866 and Dinah Denham 1870, both natives of Bishop Auckland, County Durham. His father worked as a butcher, in 1911 he was employed in this capacity at the Cooperative Stores in Shildon, Gibson, aged 14, was employed at the colliery as a pony driver below ground.
Gibson Neesham, who was living in Easington Colliery, enlisted 1914 in Durham and was assigned as Private 4246 Durham Light Infantry, 1st/6th Battalion. The Battalion was part of the Northumbrian Division, they moved to Boldon Colliery in August, then Ravensworth Park and was in Newcastle by October 1914. They completed training and were mobilised landing at Boulogne April 17th 1915. May 14th they became part of the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. In the June after taking heavy casualties the 1/6th and 1/8th merged to form the 6/8th Battalion, returning to their original identity August 11th 1915. In early December 1916 the Division received orders it was to leave France and return to the Ypres salient in Belgium to relieve the 9th Scottish Division between the Menin Road and Hill 60. Private 4246 Gibson Neesham Durham Light Infantry was killed in action, March 1st 1916, on the Ypres salient and has no known grave. His name is commemorated as one of the 54,896 inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ypres, West Vlanderen, Belgium, panel 36 and 38. He was 19 years old and single.
His father was listed as his sole beneficiary and received a pension and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Gibson Neasham is remembered at Chilton as C. Neasham on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12. There is also a G. Neasham at Easington Colliery on E52.01 and Private G. Neesham 4246 on E52.03
