TRIST Sidney James

Twelve years service with Royal Scots.

Served in the South African War.

Re-enlisted 1914.

Sidney was a Londoner who had served in the army and the Reserves since 1891. He was a military man through and through who had fought in the Boer War, had joined the Reserves when his term of service ended, and was quick to enlist when World War 1 broke out. He continued to be identified in London until at least 1911. He must have been living in Gloucestershire and associated with Blockley when he enlisted for service at the outbreak of World War 1. He died in action in France.

Sidney was born in London in 1875 (some records say Hackney, some St Pancras), and was at home in Hammersmith in 1881 with mother and siblings. His whereabouts are not certain in 1891 but he may already have joined the 5th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (City of London) as a militiaman. In September that year at the age of 17 years and ten months he applied in London to enlist in the Royal Scots Regiment, in which his elder brother Henry was serving, and duly attested in Scotland. His civilian occupation was milkman and he was unmarried. He enlisted for a short service engagement of 7 years with the Colours and 5 on the Reserve.

His period of service included four years in the West Indies, before he was transferred to the Reserve in early 1899. However, he was recalled to the colours at an unknown date and served with the regiment in South Africa (Boer War). He received the South African Medal and the clasps for Belfast, Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

His service came to an end in September 1903 but a month later he attested in London to join the Army Reserve, retaining his Scots Guards service number. He was now working as a carman in London and was unmarried. The following year he married in Wandsworth, London, and in 1911 was living with his wife and children in Clapton, London, working as a van driver.

By 1914 he must have moved to Gloucestershire, for soon after the outbreak of World War 1 in August of that year, he enlisted in Bristol in the Gloucestershire Regiment. Unfortunately, while there are personal military documents for the pre-war period, those for World War 1 are missing, but there are other records. He was posted to France in February the following year where he joined the 1st Battalion of his regiment, with whom he was serving when he died in action in May 1915.

Apart from the inscription on the war memorial, the other references to his presence in the Blockley area come from the records of the Gloucestershire Regiment which associate him with the village, and of the Commonwealth War Graves commission, which state that he was the husband of Nellie Hunt (formerly Trist) of Draycott, Blockley. Sidney married Nellie Oliver in 1904. Following his death she married Ernest Hunt, the marriage registered in Aston, Warwickshire in mid-1916. She would presumably have been living in Draycott when the Blockley War memorial was erected.

From the “burnt documents”:
First engagement 1891-1903 (Royal Scots)
Medical examination, St George’s Barracks, London, 4th September 1891, age 17 years 10 months, height 5 feet 6…› inches, weight 118 lb, chest 32-34 inches, fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, Church of England.

Memo from OC London Recruiting Board to Adjutant General, Horse guards, War Office, SW, 4th September 1891. A very promising recruit. Has an elder brother in the [unit]. Is willing to live on [?frags] pay till of age.

Attestation at Glencorse, 11th September 1891:
Sidney James Trist, The Royal Scots, service number 4180, Private, Short Service engagement (7 years with the Colours, 5 years with the Reserve), born Hackney, Middx, age 17 years 10 months, occupation milkman, unmarried, currently with 5/Royal Fusiliers.

Form:
Conditional Discharge of Militiaman. Gives authorisation for Sidney James Trist of the 5th Battalion Royal Fusiliers to enlist in the Regular Forces. Signed by [unreadable] at Hounslow, Middx, 16th September 1891.

From Roll of individuals entitled to South African Medal and Clasp:
S. Trist, 4180, 1/Royal Scots, clasps Belfast, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, (brother H. Trist, 3173, similarly recorded), S Trist, 4180, 1/Royal Scots, S Africa Medals 1901 and 1902. To England 10/1/[19]02.

The following from a number of overlapping documents.
Second engagement 1903-1907(Army Reserve)
Attestation in London, WC, 2nd October 1903 into Section D of 1st Class Army Reserve, service number 4180, age 29, height 5 feet 9¾ inches, fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair, trade carman, unmarried. Discharged from armed services within last six months, no longer serving, army engagement expired 3/9/1903 at Glencoral. Address 138 Weston Street, Bermondsey, London. Address on discharge: 37 Pedro Street, Clapton Park, London. Next-of-kin brother Henry Philip, 18 Burtop Road.

The following from other sources:
World War 1 (Gloucestershire Regiment)
From Medal Index Card and regimental medals rolls:
Sidney J Trist, 1 Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, L/Cpl, 3025. Awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1915 Star. Entered the theatre of war in France on 10th February 1915. Killed in action.

From Gloucestershire Regiment Museum:
Sidney J Trist, born London, enlisted Bristol, associated Blockley, L/Cpl, 3025, killed in action France, grave MR0022

From Soldiers’ Effects:
Sidney James Trist, 1/Gloucs Regt, L/Cpl, 3025, died 9th May 1915 in action, 2 shillings and seven pence plus 3 pounds War Gratuity to widow Nellie Hunt. (A second similar entry quotes a further 3 pounds 1s 3d to Nellie Hunt)