Maj Eric H G Leggett DSO, RFA

2,205 men died on the 30th July 1916 but Eric Henry George Leggett was the only major to lose his life on this day. He was serving with the 188th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and was 35 years old. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission he was the:

"Son of Lt. Col. Frederick Octavius Leggett, (Late R.A.O.D.) and Maria Leggett, of High Grange, Hythe; husband of Mary Leggett, of Stonepitts, Ryde, Isle of Wight. One of three brothers who fell, and to whose memory the Chancel Screen and Memorial Cross in St. Martin's Church, Cheriton, are dedicated. See also, Alan Randall Aufrere and Wilfred Noel Legget."

He is buried in Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Lt John Louis Malpas, 2nd Bn, South Staffs

Five hundred and thirty five British officers and men died on this single day in 1916 and Lieutenant John Louis Malpas of the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment was one of the officer casualties. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Theipval Memorial on the Somme.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

13047 Pte Arthur Kirton, 6th Bn, Lincs Regt

13047 Private Arthur Kirton of the 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died of wounds on the 28th July 1915. He was born in Long Bennington, Lincolnshire and was living there when he enlisted at Newark, Nottinghamshire in late October or early November 1914. He is buried in the Lancashire Landing Cemetery on Gallipoli.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1734 Pte Harry Plowman, 1/5th Leics Regt

1734 Private Harry Plowman of the 1/5th Leicestershire Regiment, died on the 27th July 1915. He was born in St Mary's, Melton Mowbray, and joined the 5th Leicestershire Regiment at Melton Mowbray in November or December 1913.

Harry served with B Company and was the son of Elizabeth Plowman of 12 Sydney Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

76908 Gnr George Bough, RFA

76908 Gunner George Bough of D Battery, 110th Bde, Royal Field Artillery, died on the 26th July 1917. He was born in Walsall and enlisted there, probably in 1914. He had been overseas since the 26th September 1915. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was 24 years old and the husband of A. Bough of Barnetts Buildings, Shire Oak Hill, Walsall Wood, Staffordshire. He is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

532399 Spr Edward Alwyne, RE

532399 Sapper Edward Alwyne of the 50th Signal Compnay, Royal Engineers, died on the 25th July 1918. He was born and lived in Brighton, and enlisted at Eastbourne. He is buried in Sissonne British Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2nd Lt Algernon P Clarke, 23rd Bn, London Regt

Second Lieutenant Algernon Percy Clarke of the 23rd Battalion, London Regiment, died of wounds on the 24th July 1915. The extensive obituary above, appears in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour. Click on the image for a readable version of it.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

4372 Pte Charles W Blampied, 7th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles

4372 Private Charles William Blampied of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, died at home on the 23rd July 1915. He was born in Jersey and living at St Helier when he enlisted. He was one of several members of the Jersey Company of the Royal Irish Rifles and originally joined in late February or early March 1915. He is buried in the Ballyhooly (Christ Church) Church of Ireland Churchyard.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

306091 Pte Joseph L Prince, 2/8th Bn, King's (Liverpool Regt)

306091 Private Joseph Leo Prince of the 2/8th Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment), was killed in action on the 22nd July 1917. He was 19 years old, the son of John and Mary Prince of 111 Elliott Street, Preston, Lancashire. He is buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armentieres.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2528 L/Cpl Alfred W G Enoch MM, 1/5th Bn, Gloucs Regt

2528 Lance-Corporal Alfred William George Enoch MM of the 1/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, was killed in action on the 21st July 1916. He was born in Cheltenham and enlisted there in August 1914. He arrived in France on the 29th March 1915 and was lost his life during the bitter Somme battles of July 1916.

Alfred was 24 years old when he died, the son of William C and Constance F Enoch of Camden Cottage, Croft Street, Cheltenham. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Capt Ernest D Messervy, 21st London Regt

Captain Ernest Dyce Messervy of the 21st (County of London) Battalion (First Surrey Rifles) The London Regiment, was killed in action on the 20th July 1917. At the time of his death he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps. On the 4th April 1918, Flight & The Aircraft Engineer published the following obituary:

CAPTAIN ERNEST DYCE MESSERVY, London Regt, attached RFC, who was missing on July 20th 1917, and is now believed to have been killed that day, was the youngest son of the late Ernest and [Margaret?] Dyce Messervy, Telawakelle, Ceylon, and nephew of Mrs Thorne, Highfield Park, Heckfield. His age was 23.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds the additional information that he was serving with 56th Squadron at the time of his death. He is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.

A 28-year-old Major Gerald Messervy MC of the RFA also died during the First World War (8th October 1918). The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds that he was the "Son of Ernest Francis and Margaret Dyce Messervy" and this being the case it looks likely that he was Captain Ernest Dyce's older brother.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

7619 L/Cpl Robert Roseburgh, 2nd Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers

7619 Lance-Corporal Robert Roseburgh of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed in action on the 19th July 1918. He was born in Galashiels and enlisted at Loanhead. His army number may belong to the series which was in use by the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion and, if does, dates to September 1914.

Robert Roseburgh, who had originally arrived in France on the 10th July 1915, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

4899 Pte George Veevers, 2nd Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers

4899 Private George Veevers of the 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, died of wounds on the 18th July 1915. He was born in Manchester and living in Todmorden. He enlisted at Pendleton.

George arrived overseas in May 1915. His number probably dates to August 1914. He was the son of Thomas and Mary Veevers of 3BK 259, Halifax Road, Todmorden, Yorks. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.


At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

L/38031 Gnr Sidney J Maulkin, RFA

L/38031 Gunner Sidney John Maulkin of B Battery, 186th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, died of wounds on the 17th July 1916. His birth was registered at Greenwich in the June quarter of 1898 which means that he would barely have been 18 years old when he died. He was living in New Cross, South-East London, and enlisted at Rotherhithe. He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Capt James A Ancrum MC, 9th Bn, HLI

Captain James Alexander Ancrum MC of B Company, the 9th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, died of wounds on the 16th or 17th July 1918. He was 24 years old, the son of James Alexander and Elizabeth Janet Ancrum, of 109 York Drive, Hyndland, Glasgow.

James Ancrum originally joined the 9th HLI as a private. His number - 3431 - indicates that he joined the battalion in November 1914, and his medal index card records that he arrived overseas on the 27th June 1915. He arrived in France as a lance-corporal but was commissioned in late 1916. On 1st January 1917, the Supplement to the London Gazette posted that Cadet James Alexander Ancrum of the Highland Light Infantry was to be 2nd Lieutenant (probationary) from the 19th December 1916.

James was entitled to the 1914-15 Star - which records him as lance-corporal - and the British War and Victory Medals - which record him as a captain with the 6th HLI. His medal index card also records that he died of wounds on the 17th July 1918. Officers Died in The Great War records that he was killed in action.

The citation for his Military Cross, published in The Supplement to The London Gazette of 16th September 1918 reads:

2nd Lt James Alexander Ancrum, High L I
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst in command of details he repulsed a strong enemy attack and so saved other troops who were being withdrawn at the time.

Officers Died in The Great War gives his date of death as the 16th July whilst The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records it as the 17th. Captain Ancrum is buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1058 Pte Joseph Cloherty, 2nd Bn, South Lancashire Regt

1058 Private Joseph Cloherty of the 2nd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, was killed in action on the 15th July 1916. His number does not belong to the series in use by the regular battalions and it seems likely that he was a Special Reservist who had originally joined the 3rd Battalion in 1910 and later been posted to the 2nd Battalion. His medal index card notes that he had arrived in France on the 20th January 1915.

Joseph was born in Liverpool and was living there when he enlisted. He was almost certainly of Irish origin. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was 23 years old, the son of Martin and Mary Cloherty of 23 Dwerryhouse Street, Liverpool. He was serving in B Company at the time of his death.

Like so many men, Joseph has no known grave and is therefore commemorated by name on the Thiepval memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

20294 Pte Frederick V Boddington, 2nd Bn, Norfolk Regt

20294 Private Frederick Victor Boddington of the 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, died on the 14th July 1917. He was born in Leyton, in what is now East London but which was then Essex, and enlisted in London. His number suggests that he joined the Norfolk Regiment in late August or early September 1915.

Frederick died in Mesopotamia, and he is buried in Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2nd Lt John Osborne Atchison, 5th Bn, KOYLI

Second Lieutenant John Osborne Atchison of the 5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was killed in action on the 13th July 1915. He was 30 years old, the son of Mrs J de L Werner (formerly C Atchison) of 36 Buckingham Gate, London, and the late James Osborne Atchison.

John Atchison arrived overseas in France on the 13th April 1915 and was killed exactly three months later. He is buried in Talana Farm Cemetery in Belgium.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

18125 Rfm Edward McAvoy, 13th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles

18125 Rifleman Edward McAvoy of the 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, died of wounds on the 12th July 1916. He was one of 740 British Army officers and men to die on this date.

Edward was born in Newtownards, County Down and enlisted there in September 1914. His number pre-dates the individual number series which were later adopted by the service and reserve battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles. He arrived overseas on the 6th October 1915 and he si buried in Etaples Militalry Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

G/54435 Pte William A Moakes, 19th Bn, Middlesex Regt

G/54435 Private William Alfred Moakes of the 19th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment died on the 11th July 1918. He was born in Barnet, and was living at Victoria Street, Middlesex. He enlisted at Whitehall; probably in late 1916, and he is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery in France having almost certainly died in a nearby base hospital as a result of sickness or injury.

There is birth registration for a William Alfred Moakes born in the June quarter of 1899 and this is almost certainly the same man.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

17995 Pte Leyshon Davies, 14th Bn, Welsh Regt

17995 Private Leyshon Davies of the 14th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, was killed in action on the 10th July 1916. He was born in Aberavon and enlisted there, aged 29, on the 30th November 1914. Leyshon was a labourer by trade and stood five feet seven and a half inches tall. He had married Elizabeth Price in April 1911 and the couple had one son - Thomas Henry Davies - born on the 28th January 1915. A second son - Leyshon - would be born on Christmas Day the same year.

Private Leyshon Davies has no known grave and is commemorated on the imposing and sombre Thiepval Memorial on the Somme. He was reported missing on the 10th July 1916 and later presumed to have died on that day.

In July 1919, Leyshon's widow and two infant sons were living at 35 Arthur Street, Aberavon.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

242135 Pte William Clack, 1/5th Bn, York & Lancs Regt

242135 Private William Clack of the 1/5th Battalion, York & Lancs Regiment, died of wounds on the 9th July 1918. He was the son of Walter and Annie Clack, of Sheffield and is buried in Hagle Dump Cemetery in Belgium.


At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

G/4148 Pte Richard Kedge, 6th Bn, The Queen's

G/4148 Private Richard Kedge of the 6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was killed in action on the 8th July 1916. He was born in the village of Bergh Apton near Norwich, and enlisted at Norwich. His number dates to the first two weeks of January 1915 and he arrived in France on the 27th April that year.

Considerable independent research has been done on the men of Bergh Apton (or Berghapton) who died during WW1 and WW2 and this has been published on the Bergh Apton page on the Roll of Honour website. Richard Kedge is recorded here as Sidney Richard Kedge and the information reads:

Sidney was killed, aged 21, on Saturday, 8th July 1916. His body was never found and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

We can at present find no village connection to explain why he is on the memorial in Bergh Apton but there is only one man of this name in the entire Commonwealth War Graves Commission record for the First World War so it is likely to be him.

A man of the right age was born in Eynsford in Kent whose father Richard Kedge was a farm labourer and his work might have brought him to Bergh Apton. We shall keep searching for the reason amongst the records.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Roll of Honour

11295 Pte Samuel Sabell, 1st Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt

11295 Private Samuel Sabell of the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 7th July 1915. He was born in St Martin's, Warwick and enlisted at Birmingham around March 1915. He may well have had prior military service as he arrived overseas on the 2nd May 1915. He is possibly the same Samuel John Sabell whose birth was registered in Warwickshire in the June quarter of 1880. This man does not appear on the 1901 census and it's a possibility that he was serving with the British Army overseas, possibly in South Africa.

Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

683054 Cpl Gerald A J Stocker MM, 22nd London Regt

683054 Corporal Gerald Arthur Julian Stocker MM, of the 22nd (County of London) Battalion, (The Queen's) The London Regiment, was killed in action on the 6th July 1917. He had formerly served with the 3/4th Queen's Regiment and, according to Soldiers Died in The Great War, had the number 223. I find this a little curious as this number suggests an early, 1908 enlistment with what would then have been the 4th Battalion, Queen's, and yet Gerald was only 19 when he died in 1917 which effectively rules this out.

Gerald's medal index card indicates that his original 22nd London Regiment number was 6100 which places the date of his transfer to July or August 1916. He was 19 years old when he died and, according to The Commonwealth war Graves Commission, was the son of Frederick John and Julia Elizabeth Stocker of 67 Bencham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey. He is buried in Oak Dump Cemetery near Ypres.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

6677 Pte James W Sydall, 7th Bn, East Lancs Regt

6677 Private James Wilson Sydall of the 7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, was killed in action on the 5th July 1916. He was born in Rochdale, was living in Rochdale and enlisted at Bacup in Lancashire.

James's number indicates that he was not a Kitchener vlunteer but probably a Special Reservist who had enlisted at the end of August 1914. Given his age, it's also a possibility that he had previous military experience.

The other possibility is that James was a serving regular soldier and that 6677 belongs to the regulars' number series and dates to late March or early April 1901. Regardless of when he originally joined, he certainly arrived overseas in France on the 18th July 1915.

Although James's service record no longer survives, other records show that he had married Sarah Jane Maden in the June quarter of 1902 and it would seem a likelihood that the couple were raising a family at the time of James's death. The Commonwealth war Graves Commission confirms that James was the son of Samuel and Ann Syddall, and the husband of Janey Syddall. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme.


At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (BMD, MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

14048 Pte John F Spilsbury, 1st Bn, Wilts Regt

14048 Private John Frederick Spilsburyof the 1st Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment, died on the 4th July 1916.

John was born in Moseley, Warwickshire, and was living in Birmingham at the outbreak of the war. He enlisted there in September 1914, originally joining the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, but tranferring to the Wiltshire Regiment probably in December 1914 or January 1915. He arrived overseas in France on the 21st September 1915 but died in England on the 4th July the following year. Soldiers Died in The Great War simply states that he "died" which almost certainly means that he died as a result of sickness. He is buried in Birmingham's Yardley Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

G/5724 Pte James Gadd, 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt

G/5724 Private James Gadd of the 6th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, was killed in action on the 3rd July 1916. He was born in Waltham Green, London, was living in Fulham and enlisted at Hounslow.

James's service record does not survive, but his medal index card indicates that he arrived overseas on the 23rd June 1915. He was thus entitled to the 1914-15 Star - which is impressed to G/5724 Pte J Gadd - and the British War and Victory Medals - which are impressed to GS/5724 Pte J Gadd. The G/ prefix stands for General and the GS/ prefix for General Service. James's number indicates that he originally joined the battalion In February 1915.

James Gadd is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No 2; one of 7,124 men buried there, 4,944 of whom are known only unto God.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

21910 Pte Horace F Jude 11th Bn, Royal Fusiliers

21910 Private Horace Frederick Jude of the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, died of wounds on the 2nd July 1916. Of the 1,439 men to die on this date, 430 died of wounds, the majority of these wounds sustained during the previous day's assaults.

Horace was born in West Ham and enlisted at Willesden. His number tells us that he joined the Royal Fusiliers in January 1916. Horace was 19 years old at the time of his death. He was the son of William and Charlotte Jude of 39 St Mary's Road, Harlesden, London. Like so many Somme casualties he has no known grave and is therefore commemorated by name on the imposing and sombre Thiepval Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

19704 Pte Thomas Miller Armour, 16th Bn, Royal Scots

On this, the blackest day in the British Army's history, close to 20,000 British Army officers and men lost their lives on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. A further 40,000 men were wounded, many of these men dying in the days and weeks to come.

19704 Private Thomas Miller Armour of the 16th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots, was killed in action on this day. He had attested at Edinburgh on the 28th November 1914 aged 19 years and nine months. He was a warehouseman by trade and was living at home with his parents at 19 Henderson Terrace, Edinburgh. He was five feet, seven and a half inches tall and had "Sundry small scars over left chest. Scar on left eyebrow. Scar on back of neck." He recorded his father, Andrew Armour, as his next of kin. His mother's name was Margaret B Armour.

Thomas joined the 16th Battalion at Heriot School, Edinburgh in December 1916 and he remained with the battalion until 18th June 1915 when he was posted to the 18th Battalion. He was re-posted to the 16th Battalion on the 5th April 1916. On the 28th April he was admitted to the 20th General Hospital at Camiers suffering with scabies. Four days later he was discharged.

Thomas was initially reported missing on the 1st July 1916, later confirmed as killed in action. It seems likely that his body was not found for some weeks as a report filed on the 7th August 1916 gives no indication of a burial location or date. He was later buried in Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-La-Boiselle.

In March 1917, the Infantry Record Office at Hamilton returned Thomas's last effects to his mother. These comprised letters, photos and postcards.

It's possible that Thomas Armour was the youngest child of Andrew and Margaret. He was 21 years old when he died, and a return made by his mother in October 1919 notes six other siblings, the oldest of whom was 47, and the youngest 31. It is also a possibility, of course, that Thomas had one or more brothers who also lost their lives during the Great War. What is established, is that on this single date, the 16th Royal Scots lost 221 men killed in action. One man died of his wounds the following day.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission