Gilbert Lugg was born in 1898, the youngest of ten children of Thomas Lugg and Jane Coombe who originally lived in Dalton where they married in 1877 (see the Lugg family tree on this site). In 1901 the family was living at 124 Moor View (Exeter Road) and in 1911 in Lower Town, at which time Thomas was working as a road contractor. The family was deeply involved in the war: Gilbert’s elder brother Herbert was killed on 15th April 1918 serving in the Somerset Light Infantry and his story is recorded on the Memorial Roll. Gilbert’s other brother Thomas attempted to enlist in 1914 but was rejected. He served later in the Rifle Brigade, although with no medal record it is likely he remained on a home posting.

      The Ashreigney Deanery Magazine listed in the September edition the names of the first to serve in Winkleigh, among them Gilbert Lugg in the 1st/6th Devons Territorial battalion. However, his medal card also shows that he had also served in the Royal North Devon Yeomanry, possibly as a Territorial before the war, before being posted or re-enlisting in the Devons Territorials. One can possibly imagine that with so many of his friends joining together into the 1st/6th Devons, Gilbert might have been attracted to leave the Yeomanry and join them. Sadly, his military records were lost, like so many others in the London blitz, so we know no more. Attachments to this site include information on the 1st/6th Devons in the war.

      Having survived the war, we know that Gilbert returned to Winkleigh. On 25th August 1920 the Western Times reported that he had been fined 7/- at the Chumleigh Petty Sessions for riding a bicycle without lights, and on 7th March 1921 he appeared again, together with his brother Thomas on a charge of using obscene language at Dolton. The case was postponed and there is no further mention of it later. Much better to report is that in the first quarter of 1924 Gilbert married Beatrice Knight in Winkleigh Church. Beatrice was a younger sister of Tom Knight who had been killed on 8th March 1916 in Mesopotamia. Tom’s name is on our Memorial Cross and his story is recorded on our Memorial Roll.