Military History

Thomas is listed as dying of wounds on 1st April 1918 at the No 3 Stationary Hospital in Roeun. The Warwickshire Roll of Honour Book states that on or about 23rd March 1918 he was wounded in the back on the front lines at Sailly-Saillisel and never recovered. The 5th Battalion war diary entries for the period 21st to 25th March are transcribed below.

21-3-1918 near Le Fay Farm: Misty morning. ACTION – 6.5am. Battn moved up to Battle Zone under command of Major Labouchere. A and D Companies lose very heavily from shell fire. Enemy reach Battle Zone about 11.30am. Front posts lost, having been obliterated with occupants by shell fire. Second line held in front of Brigade Headquarters along Benay-Essingny road. Some hand to hand fighting , 8 prisoners taken.

Enemy massing in Lambay Wood and Essigny all afternoon. Line abandoned at night, all British troops retire behind canal at Flavy

Casualties: Officers: 2 klilled; 3 wounded and 3 missing and about 180 other ranks casualties.

22-3-1918 at Petit Detroit: Battalion arrives at Petit Detroit about 5.30am. Awaiting orders to move forward. Canal bank held. All details there under Lt. Money and 2/Lts Cresswell and Cooke. Col Sebastian joins battalion about 10pm.

Riez de Cusny - 23.3.1918: Line of Canal lost in mist in early morning during thick mist. B Coy sent up to reinforce near Flavy Stations is entirely overwhelmed. Battalion retires before enemy at 11.30am fighting all the way back to Riez de Cusny, intense machine gun barrage put down by enemy. Battn dug in in a strong point.

Casualties: Lt Col Sebastian wounded, Capt. Mullis wounded, all B Coy and details missing including Capt. Banks. Lt Money wounded; 2/Lt’s Creswell, Finlayson wounded, 2/Lt Hughes killed.

Sermaize – 24.3.1918: Battalion again retires under orders, heavy enemy machine gun fire causing a few casualties. Battalion collects at Guiscard and marches via Crisolles to Sermaize arriving 11pm.

Thiescourt – 25.3.1918: Men got 3 hours sleep then take up a position covering the Oise Canal in positions dug by entrenching Battalion. During afternoon troops who had been holding Bussy in front, retire and on advance of enemy in large masses, Battn again retires by order and marches to Thiescourt arriving 1am [26^th]. Battn shelled by enemy field guns at close range after leaving Sermaize – no casualties.