Janet Rice has submitted the following:
Thomas was born in 1894 at Moorlaws, near Edlingham, the son of Thomas, a quarryman, and Margaret. He was the younger brother of Richard Matthew Hall who was killed in 1915. In 1911 he was an assistant gamekeeper, lodging with the gamekeeper at Ilderton.
He enlisted in the Northumberland Hussars at Newcastle and later transferred to the Worcester Yeomanry.
The Worcester Yeomanry was part of the Egypt Expeditionary Force which was fighting the Ottoman Empire. The Yeomanry was tasked with protection of the Suez Canal. By 1918 the Ottoman Empire was on its knees and fighting had moved away from Egypt. Thomas contracted malaria in Egypt and was taken to hospital in Alexandria. He eventually died in Jerusalem.
The Newcastle Journal 02/10/1918 published a letter sent to Thomas’ father by Thomas’ comrades:
“Tot as he was affectionately called, one of the staunchest and most cheerful companions…….Kind hearted and of a pleasing and quiet nature, and forever a pal to be relied upon… As many of us as possible attended our deceased pal’s funeral and the remains were laid to rest on the slopes of the Mount of Olives which overlooks Jerusalem….Prior to coming out here most of us in our little band of Northumberland Hussars served with Tom in France, and the news of his demise will be received by those friends in our late regiment with pained surprise.”
He is remembered in Eglingham on E18.01 and in Powburn on P39.01
