Loscombe Law Stable was born on the 21st March 1886. at Wanstead Lodge, Wanstead, Their main home was at Plas Llwyn Owen, Llanbrynmair, Montgomeryshire. He came from an upper middle class family; his father and maternal grandfather were both Barristers-at-law. Loscombe lived with his parents, Daniel Wintringham Stable J.P., LL.B. (Barrister, Secretary and later Director of the Prudential Assurance Company, and former Agent to Earl Cowley), and Gertrude M. Stable (his mother died on 7th September 1900), and his younger brother and sister, Wintringham and Enid.
Loscombe was educated at The Wells House School in Winchester before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Whilst he attended school, the Stable family lived at Holly Lodge on Woodford Road, Wanstead, although Loscombe himself was not in residence during the 1901 and 1911 census. Loscombe passed out with honours from Sandhurst and started his army career as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 2nd February 1907. He was promoted to Lieutenant four years later on 11th April 1911.
Loscombe was sent to France on 4th August 1914; just six days after war had been declared. He was promoted to Captain on 21st October 1914, but this position was to be short-lived as he was shot and killed just five days later. His Colonel, H Delmè Radcliff, wrote to Captain Stable’s parents about his death: ‘He received his death wound… going to the assistance of one of the men who was wounded and lying outside the trenches. This was just like him, as he was always a model of unselfishness and thoughtfulness for others.’ (De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1922)
Private Ellis, who Loscombe went to help, survived the war.
Loscombe Stable is also commemorated on the Wanstead War Memorial, at Winchester College, St Mary’s Church and the War Memorial at Llanbrynmair. A small silver statue of him in polo kit was presented by his father to the Carpenters Company which Loscombe had joined in 1907.
Research by Adrian Lee and Redbridge Museum
Sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry.com
Find my Past.co.uk
De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour
Winchester College