Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Robert Emery was born 1883 in Murton, County Durham, one of 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls, born to Luke Emery 1853 Hetton-le-Hole and Mary Jobson 1855 of Houghton-le-Spring both in County Durham. His parents were married in Houghton-Le-Spring September 1873, in 1881 they were living at 8, Richard Street, Hetton, where his father was employed as a miner. After the birth of his youngest brother Edward his mother passed away, his father remarried to a lady by the name of Elisa, a native of Kingswinford, Staffordshire, ten years his junior, in 1891 they were all living at 40 Jane Street along with several in-laws. Luke and Elisa had 3 children, 2 girls and 1 deceased (gender unknown).
At the age of 18, in 1901, Thomas Robert was working at the colliery in Hetton as a stone putter below ground. After his marriage, May 18th 1907 in Houghton-le-Spring, he and his wife Elizabeth Ellen Jones born 1888 of Bank Head, County Durham were living at 82, Pine Street, South Moor, Stanley. Their only son David Jones Emery was born April 24th 1910.
Thomas Robert Emery was called upon to serve and enlisted in Stanley May 31st 1915, assigned to the 3rd Battalion Border Regiment as Private 21824. The 3rd Reserve Battalion was a depot training unit and it remained in England as did Thomas Robert from the time of his enlistment until November 25th 1915 when, transferred to the 6th battalion, he was sent as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to Gallipoli attached to the 33rd Brigade, 11th Division. They saw action until they were withdrawn to Imbros, December 19th 1915 and were evacuated to Egypt where they took up the defence of a section of the Suez Canal. Mid-June 1916 the division was ordered to France and the troops began to sail from Alexandria. Thomas Robert arrived in France June 28th 1916 and was sent to the Somme where July 27th his battalion was in action at Flers-Courcelette and Thiepval.
Private 21824 Thomas Robert Emery Border Regiment was killed in action, September 27th 1916, aged 38 years old. His sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France, pier and face 6A and 7B. The memorial records the 72,246 British and South African officers and servicemen who perished in the sector between 1915 and 1918 and have no known grave.
His widow as sole beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension of 18 shillings and 9 pence a week and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Elizabeth Ellen Emery nee Jones died November 14th 1929, aged 41. Their son David Jones Emery married Ada Isabella Thompson, born 1915 in the district of Lanchester, during the 2nd quarter of 1949. David J. Emery died April 2nd 1964 aged 54, followed by his wife Ada, aged 76, in 1981.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Robert Emery is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04 and at South Moor on S129.02
