In Cudworth (St John’s Baptist) Churchyard is the Commonwealth War Grave of 21460 Private Thomas Swann, serving with the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, who died 24/01/1916.

Thomas Swann was born in 1886, in Cudworth, Lancashire, at 20 Somerset Road, the eldest son of Mark Swann, (born, 1868 at Buckingfield in Cheshire), a hewer, and his wife Mary Jane (born, 1868 at Leeds). They had ten children, Thomas the eldest, Frederick born 1887, died before 1911, Mark born 1889, Mary Rose born 1891, John born 1903, William Henry born 1905, Sarah Jane born 1909. 4 of the children died.

By 1911 the family had moved to 6 Somerset Road, Cudworth, Near Barnsley Yorkshire.

Thomas Swann was educated at the St John’s School in Cudworth and was employed as a Pony Driver in the local colliery.

He enlisted on the 6th January 1915, and served with the British Expeditionary Force from the 13th July 1915. Thomas was severely wounded, and died at home from his wounds received at the battle of Loos on the 24th January 1916.

He was unmarried.

Source: De Ruvigny Roll of Honour

Thomas Swann is remembered at Alnwick in A11.43 page 71.