Military History

Thomas is listed as being killed in action on 21st March 1918, the first day of the German Spring Offensive. The 7th Battalion diary of operations for the 21st March is transcribed below and Thomas is mentioned twice by name for his bravery.

Diary of Operations between 21^st March 1918

21-3-18 – 4.30am: At 4.30am the enemy put down a heavy barrage gas shell bombardment of Phosgene and Mustard Gas on the whole Battalion area and on the positions in rear. This gradually developed into heavy concentration of HE and shrapnel on the whole of our defences. The bombardment lasted till about 9.30am. Most of the wire in front of position front line was destroyed but the wire in front of Fir Support and the Red Line were left nearly intact.

Under cover of a very thick mist combined with smoke and dust from bursting shells the enemy was able to cross No Mans Land without being observed.

9.30am: About 9.30am the enemy entered Plane Trench and 2^nd Lt Farby who was O/C of the observation party left in that trench had only just time to give the SOS signal before the enemy reached him.

10am: The enemy had apparently broken through the front lines of the Bn on our left and at this hours small parties attacked the Northern post of McPhee in Peiziere and got into the railway cutting behind the Red Line. The detached position of McPhee Post was captured and about 6 men taken prisoner.

At about this hour C Coy and the tanks were ordered to counter attack and clear Peiziere up to the Railway cutting. The tanks proceeded round the northern end of the village and C Coy by the two roads running NE and E from McLean Post. The village was easily cleared, the enemy retiring from the village and cutting on the approach of the tanks. One of the men taken prisoner in McPhee Post rejoined the Bn.

11am: On receipt of information that the village was clear C Coy and the tanks were withdrawn to their original positions. During the whole of the day the enemy made many futile attacks from the NE of Fir Support and Red Line attempting to bomb down the later from new Squash Trench which he had entered earlier in the attack. The defence of Fir Support was conducted by 2^nd Lt Wright with about 20 men against numerous bombing attacks in one of which flammenwefers were used but these were stopped on our wire by rifle fire and the cylinders catching alight the enemy were burnt with their own weapons.

Good work was done by the whole of this platoon and particularly by Pte Hickin who on 2 or 3 occassions walked along the parapet firing a Lewis gun from the hip at the enemy concentrating in the trenches on the flanks. Pte Hickin was eventually killed in making one of these attacks. This platoon held out until dark when with only 6 men left it was ordered to fall back on the Red Line.

In the afternoon the enemy could be seen massing just S of Vauchellette Farm and in Linnet and Thrush Valleys and large bodied were advancing up Andrew St and Leith Walk.

5pm: The two tanks were ordered up to the bridge and scattered the enemy massing in Andrew St.

6pm: The enemy continued to make progress southwards from Vauchellette Farm and small parties were getting into Peiziere. The counter attack Coy and the two tanks were ordered to clear the village. The tanks and 2 platoons moving round the northern outskirts and 2 platoons by road running NE from McLean Post. The village was cleared by 8pm and 5 prisoners sent back.

8pm: As the left flank of the Red Line seemed insecure 2 platoons from the counter attack Coy were ordered to make a defensive flank facing N from the Railway Cutting to McPhee Post, this flank was prolonged by a party of 1 Officer and 14 OR from Bn HQ’s which occupied a trench at the junction of the sunken roads just N of Bn HQ. The remainder of the counter attack Coy concentrated at McLean Post.

Bn HQ was established in the Yellow Line. The enemy did not attack during the night. Touch was kept the whole of the day with the 8^th Leic on our right but there was a gap on the left until about 12MN when connection was obtained with the 15^th Durham LI on our left in the Yellow Line. END