| Notes |
- He sailed from Glasgow to Edmonton in Alberta in 1907, with his occupation given as "Plumber". When he enlists in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 23/9/1914, he is a "Fireman"
Thomas marries Evelyn C SNETH 3/9/1915 at St Giles, Edinburgh. However Thomas is a Sargeant in the 11th Btn Canadian Regiment, stationed at Thorncliffe (see below, Shorncliffe) in Kent. The Canadian Virtual War Memorial states he is married to Evelyn, who was said to be at Restalrig, so they must have known each other before he went to Canada.
He joins the Masons at the Lewes branch, Apr 1917, with address of Crowborough (Kent), as a Coy Sgt Major.
However the death entries, both from the Canadians and the CWGC say he was a Private, which seems more likely. Did he overstate his rank, or was he demoted?
The Canadian records are unclear, referring to him as a Sargeant in 1917 and then a Private in 1917. But there is nothing on disciplinary measures. But I think his story goes like this:-
Enlisted in the 11th Btn. They are sent to Shorncliffe in Kent 21/6/1915. In 1916 he is made a Sargeant and spends June to Oct on and off in the Military Police in ?Dubgate?. During this time he becomes acting CSM. He then returns to the military in Crowborough, and perhaps as the rank of Sargeant was only during his police secondment, he is then a Private again. He goes to France on 9/5/1917.
He was killed in action "while on duty in the trenches North West of Fresnoy, on the night of July 3rd 1917, he was instantly killed by enemy machine gun fire". The Canadian death document has a place of burial which has been corrected by the CWGC in 1921.
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1889 - 1917 (28 years)
[1, 2, 3] 
