Thomas Birney
Medal Index Card
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Birney was born at East Jarrow, County Durham in 1890, one of 5 children, the youngest of 4 sons and a daughter, Elizabeth, born 1887 who died in 1900 aged 13 years. Thomas was the son of Irish immigrants Perter Birney of Derry born 1856 and mother Elizabeth Kaegan born 1858 at Battlebridge. The couple were married at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1880 moving to Tyne Terrace, Byker, Peter Birney was employed as a railway porter. By 1891, their family now complete, they had moved to 10, Closeland Place, Westoe, near South Shields and taken in a boarder by the name of James O’Neil, he and Peter worked as coopers. Continuing this profession he was employed by the chemical works when he moved his family to Holly Hill, Heworth by 1901, Peter’s eldest sons were now working, John (19) as a postman, James (17) as an engine cleaner, Peter Jnr was an apprentice, Thomas aged 11 still attended school. Unlike his father, who in 1911 was working at the colliery as a shifter, brother James was employed by the North Eastern Railway as a locomotive fireman and Peter who was working as a builder, Thomas Birney is described as a student of science at Armstrong College, Newcastle. Both Armstrong College and the College of Medicine were later incorporated as King’s College in 1937 and in 1963 became the University of Newcastle.
The outbreak of war brought Thomas’s studies to a halt as he enlisted in 1914 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, assigned as Private 30/292 to the 30th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers where he remained in training until 1916 when he was drafted to France where he joined the 1/5th Battalion in the field. The 1/5th was attached to the 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division and during 1916 participated at the Battles of the Somme, the Arras Offensive where they captured Wancourt Ridge and the Second Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. In 1918 they again saw action on the Somme and during the Battles of the Lys and Hindenburg Line.
Having risen through the ranks Sergeant Thomas Birney died in action and was buried on the battlefield. After Armistice and during the clearing of the battlefields his body was found, exhumed, identified by means of a disc and along with that of Private Belton Yorkshire Regiment and 5 unknown British servicemen found at the same coordinates, was brought, May 21st 1920, into La Ville-Aux-Bois British Cemetery. Sergeant 30/292 Thomas Birney Northumberland Fusiliers was reburied with all honour and reverence grave 1. G. 13. The date of May 27th 1918 was adopted as the presumed date of his demise whilst on active service, he was 28 years old and single.
His father Peter Birney received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 23, Rowlandson Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham. His father commissioned and inscription to be added to his military headstone at a cost of 10 pence, it reads, "R.I.P."
Thomas’s brother John Birney also served as Sapper 59792 Royal Engineers Postal Section having enlisted December 4th 1914 and embarked as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France, May 4th 1915. Promoted to Corporal February 12th 1916 he was transferred to Class Z Army Reserve on demobilisation February 21st 1919. Awards 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. His other brothers were also old enough to have served but no record remains of this.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Birney is remembered in Felling on F32.06 as T. Burney at Heworth on H92.03 in Durham on D47.151 and in Newcastle on NUT063
