Pte 52953 Thomas Bertram Hammond

• Age: 22
• From: Alton, Hants
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: II.B.2

Thomas Bertram Hammond was born on the 16th February 1895 at Alton, Hants and resided in Romford, Essex and was the son of Alfred James Hammond and his wife Kate Blanche (nee Pragnell) who married in 1891 in Stockbridge, Hampshire. He was baptised on the 30th June 1895 at St Nicholas' Church, Guildford, parents address Walnut Tree Close. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living on Queen Street, Great Warley, Hampshire. His father Alfred James is aged 36, occupation Plumber (houses) and born in Alton, his wife Kate Blanche aged 36, born in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Children Edgar aged 7 born Alton, Bertram aged 6 born Alton, Bernard aged 4 born Woking, Winifred aged 3, born Woking, Daisy aged 1, born Teddington, Middlesex. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at, 22 Chase Road Brentwood Essex. His father Alfred James is aged 45, born 1866 and occupation Painter (Houses) and born in Brentwood, Essex, his wife Kate Blanche aged 45, born 1866 also in Brentwood as were all of their six children. Thomas Bertram is aged 16, born 1895 and Herbert Bernard aged 14, born 1897 are both Errand Boys. Winifred aged 13, born 1898, Daisy aged 11, born 1900 and Wilfred Cecil aged 6, born 1905 are at school and Leslie Cyril aged 1 born 1910.

Thomas joined the Great Eastern Railway in July 1914, working at Romford Station as a goods porter until he enlisted in November 1915, with the Essex Regiment. His father also fought in the war, and 2 of his brothers also enlisted with one receiving the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

He enlisted in Ilford, Essex and served originally as Private 23570, Essex Regiment. Following a transfer he was serving in the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 52953 when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 22, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

4th November 1916: 

The War Office have officially notified Pt. J Hammond, Irish Guards, and Mrs. Hammond, of 37 Vine Street, Romford, of the death of their son Pt, Thomas Bertram Hammond, Liverpool Regt, who was killed in action in France on Oct. 12. Pt. T. B. Hammond was 22 years of age,  and was formerly in the Essex Regt.  

Thomas now rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France. The Inscription on his headstone reads:

“SAFELY,SAFELY GATHERED IN FREE FROM SORROW FREE FROM SIN” 

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

His father served in the war as Guardsman 5624 James Hammond, Irish Guards, enlisting on the 01st October 1914 but discharged on the 16th May 1918 for which he received the SWB. His pension card states he died on 25th January 1924 “Died of Disease”. He had appeared on the 1921 census with wife Kate. 

Two of his brothers also enlisted. Private 14448 Alfred Edgar Hammond, of the Royal Fusiliers apparantly receiving the Distinguished Conduct Medal.   

We currently have no further information on Thomas Bertram Hammond, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.