Barry Greenbank has supplied the following:
Thomas Benson Bland was the son of Thomas Henry and Elizabeth Mary Bland of Hexham. His birth was registered in the first quarter of 1911 at Hexham.
He was educated at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Hexham, and became a solicitor's articled clerk.
Thomas played Rugby Union at Tynedale, Northumberland. He also played two cricket matches for Northumberland in 1933. He made 57 runs at 14.25. His highest score was 22. In Tynedale he scored 155 in one of their matches; he was also a good fielder.
He became 2nd Lieutenant of the 4th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed on 30th May 1940. There was no Probate.
Thomas Benson Bland is remembered in Corbridge on C52.06, in Hexham on H51.03, H51.24, H51.25 and H51.27, in St. John Lee on S1.02 and in the R.N.F. Book of Remembrance page 43
