Pte 22320 Thomas Bason

• Age: 32
• From: Shrewsbury, Salop
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Thomas was born in about February 1884 in Cross Houses, near Atcham, Shropshire to partially blind Condover born labourer Henry Bason and his Church Stretton born wife Emma (nee Thomas). They married on the 13th April 1875 in Atcham. Henry was aged 30, a labourer of Ryton, Condover, father Charles a deceased farmer, whilst Emma was aged 19, a domestic servant of Moat Cottage, Stapleton, father James a farm labourer. They had three children, all boys, Thomas was their second child. His grandfather, Charles Bason, was born blind. Thomas was baptised on 09th April 1884 in Berrington. 

Edward appears as the eldest son on Censuses but was born on 15th November 1874 to mother Thomas in Stapleton, Shropshire (and raised as Bason). Charles was born in 1878 in Berrington.

1881 Census shows the family living at Cross Houses, Berrington.

The father Henry is 37, a general hawker, mother Emma is 25, Edward is aged 6, and Charles 2. 

In 1887 when Thomas was just 3 his father, Henry, died aged 46, just before Christmas 1887 and was buried on Boxing Day. 

A younger brother Henry was born in Berrington (Cross Houses) and was baptised in January 1888 after his father's death.

The 1891 Census shows his widowed mother, Emma, living in Provincial Lane, Condover,.

She is a 38 year old general charwoman. Thomas is 7 years of age, at school, and lives with his siblings Edward 16 and Henry 3.  

The 1901 Census finds the family living at Sharpe Stone Lane, Meole Brace.

His mother, Emma is 45, and gives her birthplace as Stapleton. Charles, 22, is a general labourer,  Thomas is a 17 year old groom and Henry is 13. The birthplace for all three children is listed as Berrington.

By the time of the 1911 Census, Thomas is a 27 year old attendant at the County Lunatic Asylum in Burntwood, Staffordshire. At least two of his brothers had moved to Liverpool. Edward lives in Stanley Terrace, Mossley Hill, with his wife and children, working as a jobbing gardener. Henry, 23, is married with a son, living in York Street, Garston and is a railway porter/brakesman.

It appears Thomas joined his siblings as he enlisted in Liverpool.

On 11th November 1914 Thomas enlisted as Private 22320 joining the 20th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment.  He gave his age as 30 years and 9 months, and his occupation as chauffeur. He was described as being 5’7 inches tall, weighs 140 lbs with a 38 inch Chest. He has a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England and his mother, Emma Bason of 18 Shand Street, Garston is given as his next of kin.  

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. It is here he possibly meets and becomes engaged to a Dorothy A. Davis of the Rectory at Leadenham which is the next village to Belton Park Estate. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 07th November 1915. 

He served in No.2 Company, 8 Platoon.

In May 1916 Dorothy writes to the War Office and then Col Nash stating she is Thomas's fiancee of 4 years and has not had any letters from him since 25th March 1916.

Lord Derby visited the Pals now part of the 89th Brigade in Bray in May 1916.

On 30th July 1916 the 17th 19th 20th Pals are in action at the Maltz Horn trenches, south east of Trones Wood. They lose 42 Officers and 1,063 other ranks become casualties. 

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.   

On 12th September 1916, his mother Emma places a missing persons notice in the Liverpool Daily Post for any information about his whereabouts.

An entry on his Casualty Form dated 22nd September 1916 states that a report had been received from 14 Corps H.Q. to the effect that Thomas' body had been found and buried by a working party of the 1st Cavalry Division. The War Office was notified on 03rd October. 

His service record states he was initially buried by the 1st Cavalry Division Working Party at B.1.a Map 62.c 1/40,000. [South of Guillemont, 62c.b.1.a in TMapper.com]  

However, Thomas' body was subsequently lost as his name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.” 

On 20th October 1916, his mother placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo confirming his death on 30th July 1916.

"July 30, killed in action, aged 31 years, Private Thomas Bason, K.L.R., the beloved son of Mrs. E. BAson, 8, Arthur Street, Garston. 

We know not where to find his grave; 

He died a soldier, true and brave;

For Britain's cause his life he gave -

- Somewhere in France."

Thomas earned his three medals, which his mother signed for.

His mother was awarded a pension of 10 shillings a week from April 1917, increased to 15 shillings a year later.

His mother received his Soldiers Pay on 30th January 1917 and 20th March 1917 and a War Gratuity of £5:12s:6d on 22nd January 1920.

Thomas' brother, Gunner 15854 Henry Bason of the RFA who married Jane Brennen 21 March 1910 died of Pneumonia in a Military Hospital on 25 October 1918, aged 30. He now rests in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France. This was only 10 weeks after his wife Jane died in Liverpool on 07th August 1918 it is probal that both were victims of the Spanish Flu. Their four orphaned children, a son aged 9, and 3 daughters aged 7, 5, 2 were taken into care by Liverpool City Council. The Army Dependents Pension and Army Pay arrears from both Henry and Thomas were paid into a Trust for them.  

In 1919 Emma was living at 12 Arthur Street. Edward, 45, lived in Mossley Hill, and Charles, 41, in Ditton near Widnes.

Emma died in 1935 age 80, living at 15 Stanley Terrace, and is buried in Allerton Cemetery with son Charles.

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