Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave of Memorial
France and Flanders	British War & Victory Medals	Perth Cemetery (China Wall)
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
After May 1916	~	Wellesbourne
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted	Other War Memorials
German Spring Offensive	May 1916 - Stratford on Avon
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
Vlamertinghe / Dickebusch	Army Service Corps

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

Thomas is listed as being killed in action on 8 May 1918. On that day the battalion were in the front lines near Vlamertinghe and the battalions war diary is transcribed below:

"The day was quiet. Throughout the night a 4.5" How Battery 50 yards west of the Farm House occupied by Battn HQ was intermittently shelled with H.E and Gas. At. 3.15am a heavy are shoot commenced on battery positions in H.20.C & A and H.14.c developed into a heavy gas bombardment, 8" gas shells were chiefly employed .

One of the first shells landed in a barn occupied by Bn HQ and D Coy which caused a large number of casualties, in which Lt Lander and 2/Lt Lt Richards were included (the only officers there were in D Coy). Only 2 men were killed all the other casualties were wounded and gassed. The heavy shelling ceased at 4.30am but was resumed at intervals during the day. At 9.00am the Bttn HQ moved to a short line of trench 100 yards east of farm where they were just outside the area shot at.

B Coy which was on slits east of MILLEKAPELLEKEN Farm H.19.G..9.0 also suffered casualties and had to move their Coy HQ to 120 yards east of Farm House. Total casualties to noon on the 8th:- Killed 2 OR (including Thomas). Wounded Lt Lander, Lt Oakley; 2/Lt Richards and 48 OR.