Tributes to Guardsman, minister and Bible lover 

The life of former Coldstream Guardsman, David Gosling, who gave up secular work to live by faith with the Wycliffe Bible Translators, was celebrated on July 29 at St Andrew’s Church, Eaton, where he was a non-stipendiary minister.

David was born on November 1, 1927 in Stamford Hill, north London, into a family of committed Baptist Christians. He passed his 11+, but was ineligible for grammar school because his family moved. Then war broke out, and he was evacuated to Hertfordshire, where air raids further interrupted his education.
 
At the age of 14, he was back in London and doing various jobs, including volunteer runner for the National Fire Service. There were two near misses; a bomb falling near his command post brought the ceiling down on his bed - but he had got up early. Later, entering a bomb shelter, a V1 detonated and blew the door off its hinges, striking him on the back. But David was a survivor!
 
Called up for National Service, he enlisted with the Coldstream Guards. He wrote that this would keep him fit, further his education, and give the world a chance to calm down. He was posted to Palestine, Libya and the Suez Canal Zone, and a visit to St. Katherine’s monastery in Sinai affected him profoundly. Later, back home, he worked for the General Post Office, where he learnt to touch type. This life-long skill was put to early use for preaching notes.
 
David married Trevis in March 1959, and they had three sons, Peter, Mark and John. They lived in Redbridge in north-east London, and were significantly involved as members of Roding Lane Church, an independent Baptist church.
 
The pastor was increasingly involved with the Wycliff Bible Translators, whose mission is to translate the Bible into every spoken language. David and Trevis felt the call of God to run the Wycliff office in order to free up those with translating skills. It meant David resigning from the Post Office, trusting that the Lord would meet their financial needs, and moving to Buckinghamshire. The Lord met every need.
 
They attended St Andrew’s Church in High Wycombe, with David increasingly taking services, and becoming a reader. After retirement, he was ordained as a non-stipendiary minister in the Church of England. In 2009, he and Trevis moved to Eaton to be near their eldest son, Peter and his family. He took an active role in St Andrew’s church in Eaton, and was a much loved member, and father-figure, in the local Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship.
 
David died peacefully at home, aged nearly 98, on May 22, and is survived by Trevis, their three sons, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. We thank God for his inspiring life.

Tribute written by David’s family, picture by Mark Gosling.
 
Please add your own tribute to David below.