Military History

Thomas is listed as dying of wounds on 18 Apr 1918, although his CWGC Grave Registration states he died on the 19th. It is not yet known exactly when Thomas was originally wounded and the 1st Battalion war diary entries for the period 15th to 19th April 1918 are transcribed below.

Vicinity of Le Preole - 15th/16th April 1918: Bn relieved Liverpool Scottish, 55 Division, at Festubert Village, holding village line. Casualties 1 OR accidentally killed.

Festubert - Front Line - 16th: One prisoner taken. Casualties 2nd Lt J.E. Fearn and 1 OR wounded

Festubert - Front Line - 17th: Casualties 5 OR killed & 4 wounded (1 accidentally). German Sergeant Major captured from whom valuable information was received concerning intended attack on 18th inst.

Festubert - Front Line - 18th: The Bn held the line from Le Plantin running due N to Cailloux at which point a defensive flank was thrown back in a westerly direction towards Route A Keep. A gap existed between Route A and the left of the Bn, thus the enemy was able to make his attack in three sides.

4am: Enemy opened an intense bombardment on our battery positions and back areas, enormous quantities of gas (Yellow X) were used.

6.30am: Hostile artillery opened on our line, our trenches did not suffer a great deal with the exception of the Keep at Festubert East which was blown to pieces. Eight survivors escaped from then ruins, of those 2^nd Lt Hudson and Sergt Ferris were killed later on in the day. A serious breach occurred in A Coy line, a patrolled gap of 80 yards either side of Willow Road was enlarged by shell fire to some 200 yards.

8.15am: Infantry attack commenced with small groups of light machine gunners coming over the slight rise some 500 to 600 yards east of Festubert. Advancing over the open with no cover beyond shell holes the enemy suffered enormous losses, B & C Coy’s with their Lewis Guns assisted by seven Vickers guns beat off all attacks and nowhere did the hun get within 100 yards, one platoon of B Coy with Lewis Gun commenced with 175 rounds per man and in addition fired over eight boxes. Strength of platoon 1 Off and 28 OR.

Along the Willow Road the enemy could not be shot down fast enough and they penetrated through an existing gap into the houses and plantation around Le Plantin. Capt Handford OC A Coy with 2 platoons was left on the right of the gap, 2^nd Lieut Hall with the remaining two platoons and of C on the left. As soon as the enemy penetrated 2^nd Lt Hall extended one of is platoons back so as to form a defensive flank on his right. Meanwhile the remainder of the Coy closing up on either side of the gap prevented all attempts of the enemy to reinforce his advanced troops.

In the meantime the enemy bringing up his Field Guns brought direct fire to bear on our line. The fighting in this part of the line (facing East) remained the same until late in the afternoon.

On the north the state of affairs was extremely critical, following close up under a very efficient barrage the enemy came straight through to Route A (1 S.W.B), over ran the garrison and worked forward immediately south of the Keep. At this stage they were finally held by the Tuning Fork line, baulked at this point numbers of them attempted to work eastward into the rear of D Coy while a heavy machine gun fire was directed on our very exposed Bn Hd Qtrs.

Casualties to officers at this time being eight, either killed or wounded.

11am: As the threat was developing CSM Biddle of D Coy made a plucky and successful attempt to get through to Bn HQ to ask for assistance to check the advance. Capt. K A R Smith MC O.C. C Coy cmdg the 3 Reserve Platoons which were by this time heavily engaged volunteered to check this movement. Getting a party of 12 (all that could be spared) consisting of CSM Biddle, Sgt Coles (Signalling Sgt), Cooks Orderlies etc he made his way up the west side of Festubert and promptly checked the advance.

12 noon: By now the enemy had been checked on all sides and were pinned down by our rifle fire.

2pm: Captain Seldon OC D Coy reported bodies of the enemy retiring along Bethune-Neuve Chappelle Road.

3pm: The enemy attempted to retire from all along our front (except those in Le Plantin) but the situation was hopeless. They attempted to crawl back from shell hole to shell hole while our men stood up on the parapets and shot them in scores.

4pm: It was now considered that the menace from the direction of Route A no longer existed so Lieut Gosling with one platoon of the Reserve was ordered to proceed to Le Plantin, get into touch with Lieut Hall, clear the enemy our of Le Plantin and close and hold the gap until such time as reinforcements arrived. These two young officers behaved with great pluck and show much dash and skill. Lt Gosling with his party at once attacked from the west got will into the houses and plantations shooting 25 to 30 Germans, they rushed a crater full of the enemy and bombed them taking seven prisoners, the remainder breaking back had to run the gauntlet of A Coy.

Night 18/19: One night 18^th/19^th the Bn was relieved by the 2 Welch R.

Casualties:
Killed 4 Officers and 55 other ranks
Wounded 5 Officers and 123 other ranks