8th December 2015 In 1911 Bertie was 16 years old having been born in Stamford in 1894. His parents were Thomas and Emma (nee Middleton) Gulson. His father was a millstone dresser. By 1911 his mother was a widow keeping a boarding house at 2 St George’s Terrace, Gas Lane. Bertie lived here with his 2 elder sisters and 2 boarders. He was an engineering fitter’s apprentice. 1901 he had lived at the same address and at that time his father was absent, visiting his brother Harry in Yorkshire. In 1901 two older brothers (an apprentice engine fitter and an errand boy) were at home as well as his 2 elder sisters. At 17 when he enlisted in 1911 he was an apprentice fitter at Blackstones. He enlisted in Stamford joining the Lincolnshire Regiment . Between 20th July 1911 and 16th August 1912 he did annual training at Loughborough and Aberystwyth. He was embodied in the 2/4th Lincolnshire Regiment from 5th August 1915 and attached to the Aircraft Company in Hendon. Later he was transferred to the 8th Northern Home Battalion. He was discharged on the 24th November 1916 – reason : ‘the termination of his engagement’. His character reference stated that he had been ‘a good soldier, honest, trustworthy and efficient’, he had served at home for 5 years 291 days. In 1924 Bertie married Edith Lambert in Oakham, Rutland. Edith died in Oakham in 1939 and Bertie died in East Elloe, Lincolnshire in 1958.