Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Turnbull born at Morpeth, Northumberland, one of 10 children of whom only 6 survived was the first born of 2 sons and had 2 elder and 2 younger sisters. His parents George Turnbull born 1859 at Hexham, Northumberland and mother Dorothy Sarah of Gateshead, County Durham, born 1859 were married in 1881, settling at Battle Hill, Hexham where he was employed as a bricklayer. Their daughter Catherine Ann was born at Hexham later that year, however, they had moved to Blackhill, County Durham by the time their daughter Margaret Ann was born in 1885, returning briefly to Northumberland for the birth of Thomas in 1886. Esther 1889, Georgina 1894 and George William 1896 were born at Consett, although they did spend a short time at Poltrack, Stockton-on-Tees. In 1911 George, Dorothy Sarah, George William (15) and Georgina (17) were living at 5, Edith Street, Consett, both father and son were employed by Consett Iron Works, George senior as a bricklayer, George Jnr as a labourer. Eldest daughter Catherine Ann had married in 1901 in the district of Lanchester to Richard William Longstaff born 1847 at West Auckland, County Durham. Employed as a coalminer/hewer he supported his wife and 4 children living at 3, Bramwell Terrace, Villa Real, Consett. They had taken Thomas into their home, he was a labourer at Consett Steel Works and had married Lily Bell in 1908 in the district of Lanchester. Lily was a local girl, born at Consett November 19th 1887, she was living with their son George (2) at her parent's house at 47, Medomsley Road, Consett, their daughter Eva was born in 1912, son Thomas Jnr in the spring of 1914.
On the outbreak of war Thomas enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, assigned as Private 23979 to the Durham Light Infantry. He departed with his regiment by train from Newcastle station in late September bound for Buckinghamshire, at Aylesbury he was posted to the 15th Battalion, one of two battalions formed by the new recruits. The 14th and 15th Battalions formed part of the 68th Brigade, 21st Division. Training was slow without uniforms or rifles and hindered by too few officers and bad weather. In early December they were moved to billets in High Wycombe, issued with khaki uniforms and rifles, their training began in earnest. Spring 1915 they were marched back to a newly built camp of wooden huts at Halton Park for final training in readiness for their departure for overseas service after a final move to Witley Camp near Aldershot. September 11th 1915 both the 14th and 15th Battalions Durham Light Infantry departed to France landing at Boulogne as part of the 21st Division, however Private Turnbull did not depart until October 9th 1915. He joined his regiment in the field after their participation at the Battle of Loos where they had sustained heavy casualties. The battalion remained in the trenches at Armentieres for the entire winter of 1915.
Private 23979 Thomas Turnbull was killed in action November 25th 1915 and buried by his comrades on the battlefield, his grave marked with a cross bearing his name and military details. After the Armistice, during the clearing of the battlefields, his remains were recovered, identified by means of his uniform and the cross on his grave. Brought into Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension, on the road to Armentieres, Nord, France, along with many others between December 12th 1924 to January 1st 1925, he was reburied with all honour and reverence by an Army Chaplain. He is at rest grave II. B. 10, at the time of his demise in 1915 he was 29 years of age.
When he departed for the front Lily was expecting their 4th child, their daughter Margaret was born in July 1916. Lily as his sole beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory.
Lily Turnbull nee Bell did not remarry, she died in 1981, district of Durham, aged 93 years. Details of their children son George and daughter Margaret, unknown, Eva married Robert H. Robson in 1935 district of Lanchester, Thomas Turnbull Jnr married Myra Stephenson in 1934 in the district of Chester-le-Street.
Catherine, Thomas’s sister, also lost her husband Richard William Longstaff and her 2 brothers-in-law. John Golightly Longstaff died of wounds at the hospital centre, Etaples, France, April 9th 1916, Hutton Longstaff died of wounds at the 1st Canadian C.C.S, Adinkerke, Belgium, August 17th 1917, and Richard William Longstaff was declared to presumed to have died April 2nd 1918 in France.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Turnbull is remembered at Consett on C101.01 and C101.02
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 322
