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Captain, Royal Berkshire Regiment
Born: September 26th 1885
Died: May 16th 1915

Age at Death: 29

Killed in action, Givenchy, France, May 16th 1915.

Grave Reference:  I. A. 5. RUE DES BERCEAUX Military Cemetery (Richebourg l'Avoué) (Pas de Calais France). 

Brighton College Register: Son of Rev. T. Hayes Belcher, Head Master of Brighton College 1881-1893. Brother to Harold T Belcher (Sc. 1885-1893), Raymond D. Belcher (Sc. 1892-1900), and Arthur H. Belcher (Ju./Sc. 1886-1895)and paternal first cousin to Basil Belcher (Ju./Ch. 1905-1911).  

Awarded the Military Cross.

A donation to the memorial statue has been made in honour of this soldier by Bill Gornall-King (Al. 1971-76).

Captain Gordon Belcher
Gordon Belcher was born in Kemptown, Brighton. He was one of four sons of the Revd. Thomas Belcher, Headmaster of the school between 1881 and 1893. He was a very talented cricketer, a right-handed batsman and a right-handed medium pace bowler who played for Berkshire in the county championships between 1910 and 1913.  On the outbreak of war he was commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment and was awarded the MC on 18th February 1915. He was killed in action near Richebourg L’Avoue, Belgium on May 16 1915.

Belcher is buried in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Rue-Des-Berceaux, Richebourg L’Avoue, France. A stained glass window in the chapel in the school commemorates the lives and sacrifice of Belcher and his two brothers.

Source: LEST WE FORGET PROJECT, Brighton College 2014/15

 

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