L/Cpl 30179 Thomas Wood

Thomas was born on the 21st December 1887 at 37 Egerton Street, Runcorn to Bolton born, draper Thomas Wood and his Runcorn born wife Annie Worswick (née Yates). They married in the December quarter of 1885 in Runcorn, Thomas was their only child. He was baptised on the 08th March 1888 at Halton Road Methodist Church, Runcorn. 

Thomas was educated at Victoria Road Council School and then Runcorn Secondary School.

 

The 1901 Census shows 13 year old scholar Thomas and parents together with servant Jane, now all living above the Draper Shop in Victoria Building, High Street, Runcorn.

 

In 1903 his mother Annie died aged 50.  

In the December quarter of 1906 his father remarried to Alice Mary Taylor and in 1908 a half sister Dorothy Mary is born. 

 

Thomas becomes a well known musician throughout the Runcorn area with an excellent Baritone Voice, he is a member of St Pauls Wesleyan Methodist Church Choir and a member of Runcorn Musical Society and an old scholar of Brunswick Sunday School.

 

He becomes employed in the Laboratory at Wiggs works, then he joins the Ship Canal at Runcorn as a dock weighman.

 

The 1911 Census shows the family still above the Draper shop at Victoria Buildings. His father, Thomas, is aged 51, a draper, step-mother Alice is aged 39, born Runcorn, and assisting in the business, Thomas is 23, a dock weighman, half sister Dorothy Mary is aged 2. They have a servant Mary Mather aged 16. 

 

In the October quarter of 1913 he marries Daisy Ball, who is the younger sister of Leonard Yates Ball who was also a draper and a fine Baritone singer.

 

On 25th January 1915 Thomas and Daisy have a son Thomas Kenneth Wood. Sadly on 17th April 1915 Daisy died aged 26.

 

Later that Autumn 1915, widower Thomas enlisted in Liverpool with his brother in law Leonard Yates Ball 30255 into the 19th (Pals) Battalion of the King's Lverpool Regiment as Pte 30179. The two Pals train together in the 19th then both are posted to France in November 1915. Thomas becomes a Lance Corporal. 

Sadly both men die in the same action on the same day on 30th July 1916 at Guillemont. Thomas was 28 years of age.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 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.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

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.

Tom's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial  along with his brother in law Leonard Ball.

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 01st 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.”

His death was reported in the Runcorn Guardian on 25th August 1916

LANCE CORPORAL TOM WOOD

Mr Thomas Wood of Savages Bridge, Runcorn, has received news that is only son, Lance Corporal Thomas Wood, has been killed in action. The news first came to hand in the form of letters from Runcorn soldiers to their relatives, and it has now been confirmed on inquiry in official quarters. Lance Corporal Wood joined the Liverpool Pals with his brother-in-law Private Len Ball in July of last year, and went out to France in October last. His letters home have been cheerful and interesting. Three months before enlisting he suffered a severe loss in the death of his wife, and it leaves a baby son. Lance Corporal Wood was a good musician and possessed an excellent baritone voice. He was a member of the Choir of St. Paul's Wesleyan Church and frequently sang solos on special occasions. He was also connected with the Runcorn Musical Society. An old scholar of Brunswick Sunday school, he was well-known throughout the town and district. His early education was received at Victoria Road Council school and the secondary school. Upon leaving school he was employed for a short time in the laboratory at Wigg's Works, afterwards entering the employ of the Manchester Ship Canal Company. His death occurred on the same day as that of his brother-in-law Private Len Ball. In the letter addressed to Miss Faulkner, a cousin of the deceased, the Lieutenant of his company forwards a book of poems found amongst his belongings. The book was sent to the lady who is a red cross nurse in compliance with a request written on the fly leaf. The officer concludes his letter as follows:-  "It may interest you to know that Lance Corporal Wood was one of the best men in this company, cheerful and bright and always ready for any duty. He was popular with all ranks, he died bravely advancing with his section and showing them a fine example. His death was quite instantaneous.

Details of a Memorial Service for Len and Tom was also reported in the Runcorn Guardian on 25th August 1916:

FALLEN BRUNSWICK SCHOLARS

Memorial Service

A memorial service was held at St. Paul's Wesleyan Church on Sunday for three old Brunswick scholars who have lost their lives during the last two or thee weeks - Lance Corporal Tom Wood, Private Len Ball and Private Charlie Pearson. These three names swell the list of old Brunswick scholars who have made the supreme sacrifice for their country, to ten out of the total on the Roll of Honour of ninety seven, not to mention several who have been wounded. The pulpit was occupied by the Rev. J. E. Howard, who made sympathetic references to the three old scholars. Special hymns were sung, with Miss M. Holt, who was at the organ, played special music. The families of each of the deceased soldiers were present.

In the course of his sermon the reverend gentleman read appreciations of each young man written in each case by those who had known him from boyhood.

In the case of Lance Corporal Wood he read: "To know Tom Wood and to enjoy his companionship was to appreciate the qualities which make the clean, strong man he was. Of a vivacious and lively temperament, passionately fond of music, he enjoyed many friendships. I have known him from childhood, taught him at Sunday School, and known him in his deepest sorrow when he lost his dear wife. He always bore a brave heart, how cheering where his letters to his father. How he anticipated the day when once again he should return to his baby boy; never a murmur of hardships endured, his only thought to cheer his dear father. His love for his father was a beautiful trait in his character, he loved 'whatsoever things are true, beautiful and of good report.' Many will mourn his loss, and our sympathies are with his father and the little orphan. He possessed abilities above the ordinary, clear judgement and quick perception, qualities which go to making a good soldier, which he was.

From early childhood to manhood Lance Corporal Wood was a regular scholar of old Brunswick. His name is on the Roll of Honour.

Of L. Ball he read: "He was a big man with a big heart, which was as tender as a woman's. He was of sunny disposition, never morose, ever cheerful. I never heard an unkind word from him, or the expression of an uncharitable criticism of others. Perhaps the memory that will live longest is that he not only proved himself a hero on the battlefield, but he was also one at home. The tenderness and care he always exhibited to his invalid mother was most touching, his thoughts were ever of her, and how he could best please her, bringing home some trifle or dainty to cheer her in her affliction. This was characteristic of him. In my own family he was a great favourite, we mourn the loss of 'Our Len.'  In a recent letter I received from him, this expression occurred 'I realize more and more that we are not our own, but I also realise that the discipline is all for our good.' There was evidence of deep thoughtfulness in his letters, always hopeful, and I believe greatly sustained by his sense of duty, and the great ideal he was fighting for."

His name appears on St. Paul's Roll of Honour. For a time he was a member of St. Paul's Choir. His name is also on the Weston School Roll of Honour as a former scholar. 

The Liverpool Post & Mercury reported on 30th August 1916 among those fallen in action, under the heading;

Tragic Coincidence

"Lance-Corporal T. Wood and Private Len. Ball, of Runcorn, who are brothers-in-law, were killed in action in France on the same day. They enlisted together in the King's Liverpools, in the latter part of 1915, and before Christmas went out to France together, where they entered the trenches together. They were in some hot engagements. Both of them were well-known vocalists, and Private Ball, in a letter home, describes how he sang in the trenches one Sunday a hymn to the tune "Aberystwyth". The officers and his comrades were so impressed that he was asked to teach them the tune, and the trenches were soon ringing with the famous Welsh tune."

His Army Pay of £2 :14s 9d is sent to his father, Thomas, at Victoria Buildings Runcorn on 28th February 1917. Then a War Gratuity of £4 is also sent on 13th September 1919. The Dependents Pension is awarded and paid from 16th February 1917 to his father as Guardian to his son Thomas Kenneth until his 16th Birthday on 27th January 1931.

The sudden death of Thomas K. was reported in the Runcorn Weekly News, Friday 31 March 1944. He had collapsed in the back garden and a post mortem revealed a brain haemorrhage.