Story:
William Richard Gamlin was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 3rd October 1865 and baptised at St. Peter's Church, as Richard Willie, on 25th October 1865, the son of Richard Gamlin and Elizabeth Gamlin (née Parrott).  He lived his early life in the family home in Magdalene Lane, Shaftesbury.  By 1881 he had moved to serve the Jolliffe family as a footman at 43 Charles Street, St. George's Hanover Square, London.  He enlisted on 7th May 1886 and joined the Royal Marines Light Infantry as a Private (Service No. 3543) and by 1901 was serving in the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt.  He married Phyllis Moody at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury, on 2nd November 1905 and they went on to have two children.  He transferred to the Royal Navy as an Able Seaman (Service No. J101935) on 14th April 1921, and served at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, following which he was discharged on 9th September 1922.   He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. On discharge he joined the Merchant Navy for a period of time from 10 Sep 1923 whilst his family lived at 23 Bimport, Shaftesbury.  By the 1939 Register he had moved to 71 Adelaide Grove, Cowes, Isle of Wight, and was working as a General Labourer, but also noted as a Royal Marine pensioner. His death was recorded on the Isle of Wight in 1952.