Pte 16846 Edward Walter Thomas

• Age: 20
• From: Bootle
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Friday 11th February 1916
• Commemorated at: Corbie Cc
  Panel Ref: I.D.23

Edward Walter was born in Bootle, Lancashire on 20th June 1893, the second of three children born to Edward Thomas and his wife Mary (nee Hitchen). He was baptised at St Mary's Church, Bootle on 09th July 1893. The family address is shown as 47 Garfield Street, Bootle and his father's occupation shown as a timekeeper.

His mother, Mary, died in 1895 and Edward married Annie Jarrett in 1896.

In 1901, however, Edward senior is aged 44 and employed as a plumber's clerk living at 72 Moss Grove, Liverpool. His wife is shown as Mary A., aged 42 years, and also living with them are William Henry Thomas, 12 years, born Bootle; Gertrude Thomas, 9 years, born Bootle; Edward W., 7 years, and three stepsons - Reginald Jarrett, an apprentice engineer aged 18  born Birkenhead; Cecil Jarrett, 11 years, born Birkenhead; and Frederick Jarrett, 10 years, born Birkenhead (presumably the children of Annie Jarrett before she and Edward married); and Edith Thomas, 3 years, born Liverpool (presumably his child to Mary Ann).

His father, Edward, died in 1902.

In 1911 his widow, Mary Ann Thomas, lives at 23 Grovedale Road, Liverpool, with her daughter Edith Lillian, 12 years; William Henry Thomas, b. Bootle, 22 years, a butcher’s assistant; Edward Walter, 17, Bootle, butcher’s assistant; and her brother, William Loughlin.

In 1881, Mary Ann Loughlin married Frederick Jarrett in Liverpool and apparently married Edward Thomas senior after Frederick’s death. 

On 03^rd September 1914, at St George's Hall, Liverpool, Edward Walter enlisted, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16846. He gave his age as 19 years and 10 days, describing himself as a clerk, and naming as his next of kin his brother, William Henry Thomas of 81a Barndale Road, Liverpool.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

He served in France from 07th November 1915, earning his 3 medals.

On 29^th January 1916 was wounded in action with gunshot wounds to his face, arm, hand, stomach and abdomen.

He was admitted to No. 21 Casualty Clearing Station on 31^st January and died of his wounds at 5.10am on 11th February 1916, aged 20.

On 11^th February. Reverend J. W. Walker, 21 CCS, reported that he had been buried at Corbie Military Cemetery, Grave I D 23.

Corbie was about 20 kilometres behind the front when Commonwealth forces took over the line from Berles-au-Bois southward to the Somme in July 1915. The town immediately became a medical centre, with Nos 5 and 21 Casualty Clearing Stations based at La Neuville (the suburb across the Ancre) until October 1916 and April 1917 respectively. In November 1916 the front moved east, but the German advance in the Spring of 1918 came within 10 kilometres of the town and brought with it field ambulances of the 47th Division and the 12th Australian Field Ambulance. The communal cemetery was used for burials until May 1916, when the plot set aside was filled and the extension opened. The majority of the graves in the extension are of officers and men who died of wounds in the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The remainder relate to the fighting of 1918. The communal cemetery contains 249 First World War burials, the extension 918. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.

Edward had been reported as wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 22nd February 1916.

In a sworn declaration in 1919, his brother, William Henry, confirmed that his parents were both dead and named Gertrude as his surviving sister and Edith Lillian as his surviving half-sister. 

Edward’s medals were sent to his brother who found that the 1915 Star had been wrongly engraved with the surname as “Thanas” and returned it. After correction it was reissued to William.

Edward Thomas is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, at Panel 37.

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