Remembering Valentine Glasspool

VALENTINE GLASSPOOL
Private G/101553, 43rd (Garrison) Battalion Royal Fusiliers
Died Thursday 31st October 1918
Buried: Pont-de-Nieppe Communal Cemetery, Grave II.H.6

Valentine Glasspool was born on St. Valentine's Day, 14th February 1895, in Hunston, West Sussex, the son of Thomas and Mary Glasspool. At that time Hunston was a rather remote village a few miles south of Chichester

Valentine Glasspool enlisted in March 1917. He initially joined the Royal Fusiliers, then transferred to the Labour Corps, but finally he returned to the Royal Fusiliers and a non-combatant battalion, part of general headquarters' troops.

The Major commanding the Company said, writing home to the bereaved parents - 'Private Glasspool has given his life for his country in the hour of its greatest need.' The gallant Major also said that Private Glasspool had been a member of his Company since its formation and his conduct had always been excellent. A Corporal in his Company writing of him said 'He had such a cheerful smiling disposition in the face of every little and big difficulty which he had to encounter.'

The other sons of Mr. and Mrs. Glasspool, namely Alfred and Cecil, were in New York when war broke out and they proceeded to Canada and enlisted in the Forces of the Dominion, being still on Service.

Valentine Glasspool died on the 31st October 1918, and is buried at Pont-de-Nieppe Communal Cemetery, three miles north of Armentières. Ernest Glasspool emigrated to the USA in November 1919 to be with his brothers, and was soon joined by his parents Thomas and Mary. There must be many Glasspool descendants in the USA today.

This article is taken from my One Name Study of the Glasspool's
A few years ago Chris and I visited his grave at Pont-de-Nieppe Cemetery, Nord, France.