Blaydon Courier 29/10/1921
Tyne Cot Memorial
Tyne Cot Memorial: Pauline Priano
Dorothy Hall and Paul Heatherington have submitted the following:
Henry was born in Spennymoor in the summer of 1890. His father was John Dixon Thomas, born in Durham City. His mother was Mary, born in Hexham. Henry was their first child. His younger siblings were Edith and John.
In 1901 they were living at 35 Benfieldside Road and John Dixon was a coal miner.
In 1907, Henry married Margaret Ann Lauder, born in West Auckland. In 1911, they were living at Front Street, Sunniside, near Tow Law and Henry was a coal miner. The couple had two children – Edith (1908) and Mary (1911). William Dixon (1913) and Annie (1915) followed later.
Henry’s family were still living at 35 Benfieldside Road.
Henry enlisted at Consett on the 7th October 1914 aged 32 years and 7 months. He was a miner. He joined the 10th Battalion of the D.L.I.
Henry went to France on the 6th July 1915. He was killed in action on the 17th October 1917 and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Margaret Ann his widow was living at 28a Backstone Burn Blackhill. The army returned to her a Memorial Card, Photos and Cards. Henry had made no will and both his parents by 1919 were dead.
The Blaydon Courier for 29/10/1921 In Memoriam reads:-
In loving memory of Pte. Henry Thomas who was killed in action October 17th 1917. Ever remembered by his wife and four children.
Margaret Ann had married Percy E. Parker in 1920.
Henry is remembered at Shotley Bridge on S27.03 and S27.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 287
