Pte 52927 Thomas Arthur Vinall

• Age: 37
• From: Tunbridge
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Thursday 2nd August 1917
• Commemorated at: Lijssenthoek M C Poperinghe
  Panel Ref: XVI.J.14

Thomas Arthur was born in about May of 1880 in Tunbridge, Kent. He was the youngest son of Daniel Vinall and his wife Anna (nee Fenner) who had married in 1876 in Tunbridge. His father had served as a Sergeant in the 94th Regiment of Foot 1843-1857. He was about 60 years old when Thomas was born; Anna was his second wife. He had been widowed, and Thomas grew up with older step-siblings William, Vernon, and Louisa, and full siblings Stephen and Esther. 

In 1881 the family is living at 7 Clarence Row, Church Road, Tunbridge.  His father is a gardener and a Chelsea Pensioner. Thomas’ three step-siblings and two full siblings are in the home. Thomas is 11 months old.

In 1891 they are at the same address. His father is a jobbing gardener. Thomas is 10.

In 1899 Thomas, age 18, enlisted in the 1st Bn Royal Sussex Regiment as Private 6093.  In 1901 he is listed on the census as a soldier, age 20, at Shorncliffe Camp, near Cheriton, Kent. A few months later his battalion sailed for South Africa; his Draft landed in South Africa on 23rd September 1901 and took part in the Second Boer War. Thomas served from 1899 to 1902 and earned the Queen’s South Africa medal and clasp. 

His father died in 1905, age 85, and by 1911 Thomas is living with his widowed mother, now 73, in two rooms, at 3 Gordon Road, Tunbridge Wells. Thomas is 30, and working as a jobbing gardener, on his own account

Shortly after war was declared, Thomas enlisted in Salford as Private 11090, 15th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers. The 15th Bn was formed in September 1914, trained in Conway, North Wales, Catterick Bridge, and Salisbury Plain. The battalion sailed for France, and landed in Boulogne on 22/11/1915.  At some point Thomas was transferred to 17th Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment as Private 52927.  It is not known when Thomas was wounded, but in the days before his death his battalion fought in the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

Thomas died of his wounds at No.2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 2^nd August 1917, aged 37. 

He now rests at Lijssenhoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Flanders.

During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15th Hopital D'Evacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.

From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified. There are 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German, 11 of these are unidentified. There is 1 Non World War burial here.

The only concentration burials were 24 added to Plot XXXI in 1920 from isolated positions near Poperinghe and 17 added to Plot XXXII from St. Denijs Churchyard in 1981.

Eight of the headstones are Special Memorials to men known to be buried in this cemetery, these are located together alongside Plot 32 near the Stone of Remembrance.

The cemetery, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium.

His effects were sent to his mother.

Thomas earned his three medals, but sadly, his medals were returned (unable to contact next of kin). 

His mother died in 1920 age 82.

His step brother Vernon and brother Stephen, both in their 40s and married, joined up and both served in France, Stephen with the Labour Corps and Vernon with the Royal Sussex Regiment.  Vernon died on 30/8/1920, age 50 and is remembered in Hastings Cemetery, Sussex, with a CWGC headstone.

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