Author Archive: WW1 Photos

Thomas M Pte 1715 4th Royal Sussex Regiment

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Thomas M Pte 1715 4th Royal Sussex Regiment

THOMAS, MAURICE, Private, No. 1715, 1/4th (Service) Battn. the Royal Sussex Regt. (T.F.), s. of the late Thomas Henry Thomas, of Worthing, by his wife, Ellen (11, Stanhope Road, Worthing), dau. of William Knight, of Washington, Sussex; b. Worthing, co. Sussex, 4 April, 1897; educ. St. Andrew’s Higher Grade School there, and on leaving became a messenger boy at the Worthing G.P.O. and had passed his examinations for the staff when war broke out. He had joined the Royal Sussex Territorials, 14 Aug. 1913; was called up 4 Aug. 1914, and volunteered for foreign service, and left England for the Dardanelles in July, 1915. He was attd. to the machine- gun section of his battn., landed at Suvla Bay, 8 Aug. and was killed in action there four days later, 12 Aug. 1915, as his battn. was retiring after being relieved from the front trenches. The Turks opened a heavy machine-gun fire on them, and he was hit and killed almost immediately. He was buried where he fell at Anafarta Sagir, 1.20-000-105H, near Track to Chocolate Hill between 4-7 p.m. He was a prominent member of the Holy Trinity Church Lads’ Naval Brigade.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Thomas E T Rfn 9867 3rd Rifle Brigade

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THOMAS, EDWARD THOMAS, Rifleman, No. 9867, 3rd Battn. Rifle Brigade, eldest s. of John Thomas, Shearer, Raglan Bays Works, Briton Ferry, by his wife, Susanah, dau. of David Hopkins; b. Pontudlais, co. Glamorgan, 2 Feb. 1884; educ. Hammonford; was employed at Port Talbot; enlisted in the Rifle Brigade, 5 May, 1903; served three years with the Colours; and then joined the Reserve; was called up no mobilisation in Aug. 1914; went to France in Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at the Battle of the Aisne, 23 Oct. 1914. Buried near Chapelle d’Armentières. He was a member of the Silver Band, Briton Ferry. He m. at Neath, 6 March, 1909, Catherine (Lowther Street, Briton Ferry, Glamorgan), dau. of David Hopkins, and had four children: Thomas Ivor Gwyn, b. 18 Dec. 1913; Edward Ypres, b. (posthumous), 16 April, 1915; Jane Ellen, b. 9 Jan. 1910; and Mary Catherine, b. 27 April, 1911.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Thomas A J N Captain 1st Lancashire Fusiliers

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Thomas A J N Captain 1st Lancashire Fusiliers

CAPTAIN A. J. N. THOMAS Lancashire Fusiliers Elmfield 99-02 Aged 29 April 25th, 1915

ELDER Son of Jocelyn H. W. Thomas (O.H.), J.P., formerly Captain Scots Fusilier Guards, of Belmont, Carlow, Ireland. R.M.C., Sandhurst.

Captain Thomas received his Commission in the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1905, and was promoted Captain in January, 1915. He went to the Front in February, 1915, and was killed at Lancashire Landing, in Gallipoli, on April 25th, 1915.

Source : Harrow Memorials Of The Great War 1914-1918 Vol 2

THOMAS, AUBREY JOCELYN NUGENT, Capt., 1st Battn. Lancashire Fusiliers, elder s. of Jocelyn H. W. Thomas, of Belmont, Carlow, Ireland, formerly Capt., Scots Fusiliers Guards; b. Belmont, co. Carlow, 23 Sept. 1888; educ. Harrow and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut, 1st Lancashire Fusiliers, 16 Aug 1905, and promoted Lieut. 29 May, 1909, and Capt. 20 Jan. 1915; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action during the landing of the Lancashire Fusiliers at Beach W, Gallipoli, 25 April, 1915; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Theobald W G M Pte 792 14th Australian Imperial Force

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Theobald W G M Pte 792 14th Australian Imperial Force

THEOBALD, WILLIAM GEORGE MORLEY, Private, No. 792, No. 2 Coy. 14th Battn. 4th Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, eldest s. of George Theobald, of Littleport, Cambs, Superintendent of Fen Drainage, Littleport, and Downham District, by his wife, Hannah Jackson, dau. of James Hardwick, of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; b. Little Downham, Isle of Ely, 12 Nov. 1894; educ. March (Cambs.) Grammar School; joined the Cambridgeshire Territorials in 1913; went to Australia, 18 April, 1914, and when war broke out volunteered and joined the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force at the end of Oct., 1914; left Melbourne for Egypt with the 2nd Reinforcements, 23 Dec. 1914; took part in the landing at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, 25 April, 1915, and was killed in action at 10 the same morning while out sniping with four others. He was unm. A comrade wrote: ” He was not out long before he was shot, but he did some good work before he was hit.” Another comrade wrote: “Every one of us was grieved when poor Tommy was killed, for all were agreed that Tommy was a gentleman.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Tetley A N L/Cpl 304 8th Australian Light Horse

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Tetley A N L/Cpl 304 8th Australian Light Horse

TETLEY, ARTHUR NORMAN, L.-Corpl., No. 304, B Squadron, 8th Australian Light Horse, 3rd Brigade, Australian Expeditionary Force, 3rd s. of William Tetley, of Berwick, Gippsland, Victoria, Squatter, by his wife, Kate, dau. of Arthur Noyes; b. in Victoria, 19 Feb. 1889; educ. C. E. Grammar School, Melbourne; volunteered on the outbreak of war, being the first to do so in his district; left for Egypt with the main force; went to the Dardanelles 15 May; was wounded in action at Walker’s Ridge, Gallipoli, 7 Aug., and died at sea on board the hospital ship Delta, 8 Aug. 1915; unm.

Sergt. C. H. Lyon wrote: “I saw a good deal of him over at Gallipoli, and he did splendidly from beginning to end. I know men in his troop thought a lot of him, and it was only owing to lack of vacancies that he didn’t get rapid promotion. On June 23 Norman got shaken up pretty badly. The Turks were shelling us pretty heavily with French 75’s and high explosives. Where Norman was stationed they got it very badly; he wasn’t actually hit, but the shells bursting near him peppered his face with gravel. He got over it, however, without going away, but when the attack came on 7 Aug. he was very run down. From that I heard the doctor had advised him not to go out, but like many others he was keen on being with his troop and couldn’t stand the idea of being left behind. For three days we were expecting the attack, and on the evening of 6 Aug. we were taken out into the left hand sap on Walker’s Ridge. All night we sat there not knowing what moment we would be called on, and towards daylight the men-of-war and cruisers bombarded the Turkish trenches right in front of us. The 8th were divided into the 1st and 2nd lines of attack. A squadron and two troops out of B formed the 1st line (including Norman), and C Squadron with the other half of B formed into 2nd line. The 10th Regt. formed the 3rd and 4th. The Turkish trenches were about 25 yards from us, and the whole front not more than 150 yards long. At 4.30 a.m. the bombarding stopped and the attack commenced. Owing to a misunderstanding, my troop was late in moving up, and just as we got into the front sap, our officer was shot through the hand and retired. I was left in charge, and being unable to jam past the men, jumped up and ran round to the front of the sap, calling on them to follow, but just as we got out, the 1st line fell back, nearly all wounded, with orders to retire. As we dropped back into the sap, I saw Norman lying just out in front, and with the assistance of others, got him in and laid him on the bottom of the trench. His leg was in a fearful state, a machine-gun had got on to him, but he stood it wonderfully and a 10th man applied first aid. The stretcher bearers were fearfully busy, and we were in an out of the way place and he had to lie there over two hours before it was possible to get him away. The loss of blood must have been very great. Of 318 of our men that went out that morning, 154 were killed, and 80 odd wounded. The Turks had 34 machine-guns playing on the narrow strip between the trenches, and only one of our men, a sergt. in A Squadron, ever reached their trenches. All but two of our officers that went out were killed, including Col. White, Major Retford, and our Adjutant.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Tennant C G 2nd Lt 4th Seaforth Highlanders

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Tennant C G 2nd Lt 4th Seaforth Highlanders

TENNANT, CHARLES GRANT, 2nd Lieut., 4th Batt. Seaforth Highlanders (T.F.), only s. of James Tennant, of Fairlie, Ayrshire, and formerly of Newcastle- on-Tyne, J.P., by his wife, Henrietta Grant, dau. of Alexander Andrew Fergusson; b. Lowfell, co. Durham, 23 July, 1882; educ Charterhouse, Godalming, where he was a senior scholar, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was an exhibitioner; and on finishing his education, became a Director of the Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Co., Ltd., and of Alexander Fergusson & Co., Ltd., Glasgow, Lead Manufacturers. On the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, he volunteered and joined the Public Schools Battn. and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 4th Battn. Seaforth Highlanders, 1 Oct. 1914; went to France, 5 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action near Neuve Chapelle, 9 May, 1915; unm.

His Commanding Officer wrote: “After less than four months soldiering his name was sent to the War Office for promotion to Capt.; that fact shows what a born soldier he was. On every occasion that we were under fire he was always the same, cool and collected. He declined promotion, as he wished to remain with the men with whom he had trained.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Gawan-Taylor F 2nd Lt 2nd York And Lancs Regiment

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Gawan-Taylor F 2nd Lt 2nd York And Lancs Regiment

Source : The Sphere 2nd Oct 1915

GAWAN-TAYLOR, FRANCIS, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. York and Lancaster Regt., 2nd s. of His Honour Judge (Henry) Gawan-Taylor, of Croftlands, Heads Nook, Cumberland, County Court Judge of Circuit No. 3, Cumberland and Westmoreland, by his wife, Rachel, 3rd dau. of the late Thomas Joseph Candler, of Low Hall, West Ayton, co. York; b. Darlington, 27 Aug. 1892; educ. Rossall (Scholar and Exhibitioner), and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (Scholar, 1913); was gazetted 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. York and Lancaster Regt. (Special Reserve), 16 Jan. 1915; was attd. to the 2nd Battn.; went to France, 1 June, 1915, and was killed in action near Hooge, 9 Aug. 1915, during the British advance north and west of Hooge; unm. Buried there.

While at Rossall School he was a member of the O.T.C.; was a keen athlete and ran in the mile race for Cambridge in 1914, when the Oxonian, A. N. S. Jackson, beat him by eight yards. His Commanding Officer wrote of him: “Your son was one of my subalterns; he was a very promising young officer and was doing very well. We had to take some German trenches. I had two subalterns hit on the way there, but your son was there after we got into their trench. It was while directing the consolidating of their trenches that he was hit by a bullet through both temples. The men of his platoon greatly regret his loss, as they had learned to love him.” He was engaged to be married to Alyson May Estcourt Boucher, dau. of the Rev. Canon Boucher, Rector of Frolesworth, Lutterworth.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Todd J W L/Cpl King’s Own Scottish Borderers

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Todd J W L/Cpl King’s Own Scottish Borderers

TODD, JOHN WRIGHT, L.-Corpl., No. 11308, 2nd Battn. King’s Own Scottish Borderers, grandson of John Todd, of Main Street, Norham-on-Tweed; b. Norham-on-Tweed, 14 Feb. 1894; educ. there; was a Baker; enlisted in 2nd King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Oct. 1911; left for France, 14 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action, 9 April, 1915, being shot by a sniper; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Thompson G Captain 13th London Regiment

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Thompson G Captain 13th London Regiment

THOMPSON, GILBERT, Capt., 2nd Battn. Connaught Rangers, attd. as Adjutant 13th Battn. (Princess Louise’s Kensington) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd s. of Reginald Thompson, of Loftus Hill, Knaresborough, Col. 2nd Vol. Battn. West York Regt., by his wife, Frances Harriet, 4th dau. of the Rev. Charles Smith Royds, of Haughton, co. Stafford, and Heysham, co. Lancaster, J.P., and gdson. of Sir Matthews William Thompson, of Guiseley, 1st Bart.; b. Baildon Lodge, 22 June, 1877; educ. Yarlet near Stafford, afterwards privately; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 2nd Connaught Rangers, from the Militia, 20 May, 1899, and promoted Lieut. 24 July, 1900, and Capt. 29 Nov. 1905; served eight years with them in India; appointed Adjutant to the Kensingtons, 1 Jan. 1913; left for France with them 3 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Laventie, 24 Feb. 1915. Buried at Picantin. One of the men, writing home, said of him: “We have lost one of our best officers. Capt. Thompson, the Adjutant. He was showing the General round, and he was shot in the head. He was one of the best; he thought of the men first and himself last. Every man is sorry at his death. . . . The men have lost their best friend.”

Another man wrote: “Out in the trenches he was splendid. He would come along and ask how we were and always have something cheery to say. He got his feet frost-bitten and asked what he should do. “See the doctor, sir,” I said. “Not I,” he replied. “He’ll want a few toes off and put me on the sick list.” And he wouldn’t, with all my persuasion. When my feet got very bad, I rode back three miles on his horse and the next morning he came round to see me. He’s splendid.” He was buried in the little cemetery behind the firing-line. His last request was: “Bury me with the boys, not beside the officers,” and this wish was carried out. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April and 31 May [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915. Capt. Thompson m. at Finghall, Yorkshire, 7 June, 1906, Ethel Isabella, 2nd dau. of Marmaduke D’Arcy Wyvill, of Constable Burton and Denton Park, Yorkshire, J.P., D.L., and had three children: Christopher Smith Byron, b. 19 April, 1907; Laura Barbara Frances, b. 10 Nov. 1908, and Naomi Isabella, b. 23 Oct. 1912.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Thomas-O’Donel G O F Captain 4th Royal Fusiliers

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Thomas-O’Donel G O Captain MC

Source : The Sphere 7th Aug 1915

Thomas-O’Donel G O’D Captain 4th Royal Fusiliers

Lieutenant George O’Donel F. Thomas O’Donel, 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He is mentioned in despatches, and is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O’Donel, of Newport House, Newport, Co. Mayo, and grand-nephew of the late Sir George C. O’Donel, Bart. He was educated at Cheltenham College, and entered the Royal Donegal Artillery Militia as Lieutenant, from which regiment he was gazetted to the Royal Fusiliers, in which he is now serving. He was married last week at Kensington to Violet, only daughter of Mr. George Claude Braddell, of Newlands, Ferns, Co. Wexford. He is a keen sportsman, and when stationed in Mullingar was well known in the hunting field.

Source : Our Heroes Mons To The Somme August 1914-July 1916

Thomas-O’Donel G O’D Captain 4th Royal Fusiliers

THOMAS-O’DONEL, GEORGE O’DONEL FREDERICK, M.C., Capt. and Adjutant, 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, only 8. of Edwin Thomas-O’Donel, of Newport House, Newport, co. Mayo, J.P., D.L., by his wife, Melicent Agnes, dau. of Capt. Richard Annesley O’Donel; b. Dublin, 21 Oct. 1884; educ. Cheltenham College, and abroad; joined the Royal Donegal Artillery Militia in 1902; gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the 4th Royal Fusiliers, 23 May, 1906; promoted Lieut. 10 April, 1909, and Capt. 26 Nov. 1914; appointed Adjutant, 15 Jan. 1913; went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 13 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Hooge, near Ypres, 16 June, 1915. Capt. O’Donel was awarded the Military Cross [London Gazette, 19 Feb. 1915]; and was twice mentioned in Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatches [London Gazette, 19 Oct. 1914, and 18 Feb.. 1915]. Brig.-Gen. McMahon, commanding the Brigade, wrote on 5 Nov. 1914: “I think the Battn. has done very well out here, and I hope it will continue to do so. George is going strong and is fitter than when he started, and  can claim a very large share in producing such good results as may have been attained”; and Col. Hely-Hutchinson wrote: “I cannot tell you what a shock the whole thing has been to me, we were the closest of friends, we slept together, we fed together, we rode together, and we fought together, and we never had a row for seven months, and the only time we had been separated, George goes and gets killed, and I get off. It is too sad after all the months he had been out and the good work he had done. I myself got a small touch of a shell on the head and have come home for a bit, thank God, as I don’t think I could have carried on any longer out there without George and the rest- we lost six killed and nine wounded officers, and I had no heart and was just tired out and so was George, he just went on till he dropped.

Major F. R. Mallock: “His death is a great loss to his country and the regt.-he served so gallantly and so well; there are few of us left who went out with the Battn., George was the only one of the combatant officers left after the fighting at Ypres. I had a great affection and admiration for him, he did work splendidly right through.” Brig.-Gen. Reginald Pinney, formerly commanding 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, also wrote to the late Capt. Thomas O’Donel’s father: “I am most distressed for you and his mother at George’s death-also for the regt. and the army, for he was fulfilling all the promise he showed when he joined; seeing his name gave me a special shock, for I had just heard of my getting a division, and had been talking of Staff and had hoped to get George appointed a G.S.O.” He m. in London, 26 Nov. 1914, Florence Violet (Newlands, co. Wexford), only dau. of George Claud Flood Braddell, of Newlands, co. Wexford, and Luckington, co. Wilts; s.p.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1