Personal History
Gordon Malcolm Panter was born in Hatfield in 1897, the younger son of Albert Edward and Ada Elizabeth Panter. His father was a railway clerk on the Great Northern Railway and at the time of his birth they were living in the Great Northern Station House, Hatfield.
In 1914, at the age of 17, Gordon became the organist at St. John's church, Lemsford. The Lemsford Notes of the Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine for October 1914 record that he played the organ for the Harvest Festival Services that year. 'There was no anthem and every effort was made to bring the services into close connection with the war.’ Geoffrey E. Gartside was appointed organist in January 1916 after Gordon had left to join the army.
No record of attending St John's School
War Record
14th County of London Battalion, (London Scottish)
Gordon enlisted in December 1915 and joined the 14th County of London Battalion, (London Scottish) as Private 5311. He died on the 1st of July 1916 aged 19. The Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine for August 1916 reported that he had been officially recorded as missing and there was still no news of him by the time the September magazine was issued.
The 1st of July 1916 was the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Gordon's battalion formed part of the 56th Division which was involved in the fighting at Gommecourt Wood, about eight miles north of Albert. This was a 'supplementary' operation with the aim of eliminating a German stronghold in the wood as well as diverting German troops from the main Somme offensive further south. Although some gains were made the losses cancelled them out.
War Memorial
Private, 5311 Gordon Malcolm Panter of the London Regiment (London Scottish) C Coy. 1st/14th Battalion is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 9C and 13C. The Memorial commemorates 72,191 missing British and South Aftrican men who died in the Battles of the Somme with no known grave. Thiepval is a village a few miles north-north-east of Albert.
