Thomas was the third of five brothers,born in 1894 East London. All served in the Great War. He was placed in a workhouse school age 6 and here was assigned to a Royal Marine Cadet training "ship" in the Thames Estuary. He formally enlisted in the Marines in 1911,was trained at Deal and was sent to the Portsmouth Division for sea, musketry and gunnery training. He served on HMS Hindustan and in 1912 was sent to the Baltic to occupy Scutari during the first Baltic War 1912/13. In 1914 he was assigned to the 2nd RM Light Infantry and in August embarked as part of "Churchill's Little Army" to help defend Ostend then bused to Dunkirk and on to Lille to assist the orderly withdrawal of French army Units. His battalion then moved to strengthen the newly recruited Royal Naval Division to help defend Antwerp. Under artillery fire RMLI formed the rearguard as the Division withdrew to Ostend to re-embark for England. The 2nd RMLI was next sent to Gallipoli as part of the 1915 invasion force. Here Thomas served in naval oper- ations at Mudros Bay, landings at ANZAC Bay,and actions at Kithria and Atchi Baba. He was finally evac- uated from Cape Helles in January 1916. Because of the high number of casualties his battalion was then rested and became part of the Royal Naval Division. He was also one of few fortunate marines to be sent on Home Leave. On his return the RND was now at the Western Front, in army uniform,and the RMLI formed part of the 188th Infantry Brigade. Thomas's first action with the army in 1916 was at the Ancre. Much fighting was hand to hand and his unit again had severe losses. His next was at Miramont, February 1917 where the objective was taken and held. His third and last was at the Gavrelle Windmill near Arras -the "Marines Waterloo". Although taken and held for several weeks Thomas, along with five other Marines was reported as killed in action Sunday 20th May 1917. He was 23 years old. His mother was quickly notified and by June 1st received a letter from his unit confirming his burial. As a regular, his post war gratuity was £16 and his insurance policies "for death in service for King and Country" paid out £15 11s 04d. Because he was not under army but navy command in 1914 when under fire in Belgium and France in 1914 he was not awarded the BEF 1914 Mons Star. They gave him a 1914-15 star instead.

Bryan Dixon