Cpl 300409 Thomas Egerton Worthington

• Age: 23
• From: Warrington Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 6th October 1917
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Thomas Egerton Worthington was born in the December quarter of 1893 in Warrington the youngest son of Charles Samuel Worthington and his wife Elizabeth (nee Berry). His parents married in 1882 and had seven children, six sons and a daughter. He was registered as Tom at birth and baptised Thomas Egerton Worthington on 14th July 1894, his father was an accountant and the family were living at Aspley Street, Warrington.

Not long after the birth of their daughter, in 1899, when Thomas was five years old, his father died, at the age of 42.

At the time of the Census which was recorded on 31st March 1901 the family are living at 4 Hanover Street, Warrington.

His mother Elizabeth is a widow, born in Prescot in 1858  and Thomas now aged 7 has 6 siblings in the household; William E., aged 18, Charles aged 16, Frank aged 14, Samuel aged 12, Sydney aged 10 and Elizabeth aged 3.

William, Charles and Frank were all born in Prescot, whilst the other children including Thomas were born in Warrington.

By the 1911 Census the family are all still living at 4 Hanover Street, Warrington and Thomas now aged 17 is employed as a Municipal Clerk. His mother is 53 years of age and has the seven children at home. William is 28 and a cashier in a tannery. Two brothers work for a wire manufacturer, Charles, 26 is an assistant buyer and Sydney, aged 20 is a clerk. Frank, 24 and Samuel 22 are also clerks. Thomas is 17 years of age and employed as a municipal clerk. Elizabeth aged 14 is still at school.   

Thomas, Private 928 1/1st Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry, signed Army form E.624, Imperial Service Obligation (volunteering for overseas service) on 01st September 1914.  His brother Samuel, Private 556, had signed on 14th August. He was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment and was serving as Corporal 300409 when he was killed in action on 06th October 1917, aged 23, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion War Diary for 06^th October 1917

Enemy shelled heavily, all calibres and trench mortars on shell holes and Picquet Line. Direct hit on No.10 post. Retaliation shoot by our artillery with good results. 50 O.R. transferred to 17^th (Ser) Battn. King’s (Liverpool Regt).

Killed

300306 Sergt  Lowe W.J.

331166 Pte Aird J

300283 Sergt J Hayes

300409 Cpl Worthington T.E.

300190 Pte Bergin T    

Thomas has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His death was reported in the press as follows:

Member of Borough Treasurer's Staff.

News has been received that Corporal Thomas Egerton Worthington, of the Lancashire Hussars (attached to the King's Liverpool Regiment), son of the late Mr Charles Worthington, chartered accountant, and Mrs Worthington, 4 Hanover Street, was killed in action on Friday night of last week. The news was received from another brother who is serving.

Corporal Worthington was one of four soldier-brothers, the others are Sergeant Samuel Worthington of the Lancashire Hussars, Sergeant Sidney Worthington of the Liverpool Pals, and Corporal Frank Worthington of the Lancashire Fusiliers. Corporal Worthington was in the Lancashire Hussars before the outbreak of war and was called up upon mobilisation. He had served for two years at the Front. 24 years of age, he was formerly employed in the Borough Treasurer's Office, in which position he was appointed in 1909. He was a member of the Holy Trinity Church and Bible Class. 

Thomas earned the British War Medal and Victory Medal, and the Territorial Force War Medal, the rarest of the Great War medals, awarded to men who had been serving with the Force on 04th August 1914; or had completed four years service with the Force before that date and rejoined on or before 30th September 1914;  and volunteered before 30th September 1914 to serve outside the United Kingdom; and served overseas between 05th August 1914 and 11th November 1918; and did not qualify for the 1914 Star or 1914-1915 Star. 

His mother Elizabeth, living at 4 Hanover Street, received his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £15 and was awarded a pension of 6/- a week from January 1918. 

Samuel later also served in the 18th K.L.R. (Sgt. 300405) and was discharged on 28th January 1918 with a Silver War Badge and a 50% disability pension (valvular disease of the heart).  

His brother Sydney (Sgt. 29681) served with the 12th K.L.R. and was discharged on 07th February 1919 with a 20% disability pension (disorderly action of the heart, sometimes called “soldier’s heart”, often the result of stress or fatigue).  Sydney later had a son he named Thomas Egerton. 

Frank appears to have survived the war physically unscathed. 

His mother died in 1936 aged 77. 

Thomas is commemorated on the Warrington Town Memorial.

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