82nd Provisional Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Samuel Luker was born at Avening, near Stroud in late 1876. He was the son of William and Esther Luker and one of four children (John, Sam, Rose and Hannah). William Luker died in 1889, when Sam was 13.
After completing his education Sam was employed as a groom and on 11 January 1896, at the age of 19 years and two months, he enlisted in the Army, for a term of seven years with the Colours and five in the Reserves, having previously served with the Militia.
He joined the 1st Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment and was given the number 4796. He saw service in both the UK and India before completing his initial service term in 1914.
His Service Record indicates that he reengaged in Reserve in 1908, possibly for a further five year term, which was completed on 10 January 1912.
On 2 June 1906 he married Emily Rhoda Frape at Rodmarton Parish Church and the couple had five children by December 1915, all born at Cirencester (Ivy on 18 December 1906; Gladys 2 May 1908; Dora 11 September 1909; William 10 December 1910; Ethel 31 December 1912).
Prior to re-enlisting in the Army in the Great War, Sam was employed as a labourer. The family lived at 47 Castle Street, Cirencester.
On 4 December 1915 Sam attested for military service, under the terms of the Group System which was also known as ‘Lord Derby’s Scheme and was the forerunner of full conscription. The Scheme placed those attesting into categories and as he was married and just under the top age limit of 41 Sam was placed in one of the last categories to be called up.
He was given a fitness category of B1, which meant he could be posted for garrison service abroad. He was placed into the Reserve on 12 December but not mobilised until six months later, when, on 16 June 1916, he was posted to the 3/4th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
There is no evidence that he was posted abroad and given his age and previous military service he was most likely employed in training new recruits. Evidence suggests that Sam quickly moved to 82nd Provisional Battalion, which was a training unit for the Territorial Force, based at Walton-on-Naze, Essex.
This became the 17th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment on 1 January 1917.
Sam’s reprised military career was not to last long as on 15 September 1916 he was discharged because it was declared that he was ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier on medical grounds’. On 25 July he was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and admitted to Colchester Hospital on 15 August 1916.
On 9 September he was sent home to Cirencester and at a medical examination at Chiseldon Camp on 5 February 1917 it was determined that he was entitled to a total incapacity pension on the grounds that his illness was aggravated by military service.
He died, presumably from tuberculosis on 2 May 1918 at the age of 41 and was buried four days later in Cirencester Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone now marks his grave. He is remembered on Cirencester Parish Church memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 4 January 2016