In Dunston (Christ Church) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of 22008 Private Thomas Ernest Balmor Ree serving with No.2 Malta Company, Royal Army Medical Corps who died 04/04/1919.

He was the son of John William and Mary Elizabeth Ree of 16 Stephenson Street, Dunston on Tyne, Co Durham. His father John William Ree also fell.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Thomas Ernest Balmour Ree was the oldest of 5 children.

His father John William Ree was born in 1867, at Branspeth, County Durham and was married, June 23rd 1894, at Gateshead Registry Office, historically in County Durham to Mary Elizabeth Palmer, 10 years his junior, she was born in 1877 in the village of Swalwell, near Gateshead. 

Newly married they settled at Forest Hall on the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne, where Thomas Ernest Balmor Ree was born during the 4th quarter 1866, before they transferred to County Durham where their daughter Esther was born in 1898 and William Chilton Ree, June 19th 1900, at West Ryton. 

William Chilton was only 3 months old when the family moved to Killingworth High Pit in the parish of Longbenton where John William was employed at the colliery. Another move took them to Shiremoor, Northumberland, birthplace of Mary Ann, May 24th 1909 and then to Blyth where their youngest child Tamar Wren Ree was born, December 11th 1905. 

They had returned to County Durham by 1911 and were living in 4 rooms at 16, Stephenson Street, Dunston. John William was employed as a wagonway man, Thomas Ernest Balmer (16) as a pony driver, both worked below ground, William Chilton (10) was a scholar, Mary Ann (8) and Tamar (5), remained at home with their mother, Esther Ree had left the family home.

When Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914, all regiments were ordered to raise new battalion, men from all walks of life volunteered to serve their Country. At that point in time the Royal Army Medical Corps numbered circa 9,000 personnel and was greatly expanded by 1918 to circa 13,000.

Thomas Ernest Balmor Lee was living in the family home at 16, Stephenson Street, Dunston when war was declared. In 1915, he left his employment as a labourer employed by Emerson & Thompson Engineering and as a member of the Royal Liver Friendly Society, was one of the 1,200 members who joined the Armed Forces. 

He enlisted at York, May 26th 1915 and was assigned as Private 22008 to the Royal Army Medical Corps. Private Ree remained in England until May 1918 serving with No. 3 Company R.A.M.C. Military Hospital, Ripon in Yorkshire. March 27th 1918, he was transferred to the R.A.M.C. Depot at Blackpool and proceeded with, “B” Company, No.1 Reinforcements to Malta in the Mediterranean. 

Disembarked at Malta, May 13th 1918 he was taken on strength as part of No.2 Malta Company R.A.M.C. and posted to St. Andrew’s Hospital for duty, May 15th. St. Andrew’s Hospital was part of the garrison barracks and also consisted of a convalescent camp. The hospital dealt mostly with the casualties from the Gallipoli campaign 1915-1916 and the Salonica campaigns during 1915-1918. 

Private Ree was himself hospitalised at St. Andrew, August 27th until September 3rd 1918, and again January 28th 1919 at Cottonera Hospital until January 28th 1919, on both occasions suffering from diarrhoea, attributed in the main to his poor physical health. 

He was taken off strength, January 31st and discharged, February 7th 1919. Private Ree embarked for the U.K. March 12th 1919 for demobilisation and died whilst on leave, April 4th 1919 of influenza, a probable victim of the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919.

Private 22008 Thomas Ernest Balmor R.A.M.C. was laid to rest within Dunston Christ Church Churchyard, grave C. 24. He was 26 years of age and single. Awards; British War Medal.

Christ Church was demolished in 1978 and all gravestones removed although the internments were left undisturbed. In order to honour Private Thomas Ernest Balmer Ree and the 8 other war dead buried there a CWGC Special Memorial was erected, April 14th 1982, at Gateshead (Saltwell) Cemetery, Low Fell, Gateshead, historically County Durham, now Tyne & Wear.

Prior to Thomas Ernest’s demise his parents had suffered the loss of his sister Mary Ann who had died in 1918 aged 16 years, Thomas Ernest’s father, John William Ree, who also served with the Royal Army Medical Corps during WW1 died, “at home,” July 26th 1920, aged 53 years and is also considered a casualty of war.

After the death of her husband and son Mary Elizabeth Ree moved to Cockersdale, Drighlington, historically in West Riding Yorkshire, taking her surviving children with her. 

Tamar Wren Ree was married, August 8th 1931 at St. Paul’s Church in the parish of Drighlington to George Henry Parkin born July 21st 1892. George Henry was a coal miner, Tamar was employed as a winder in the manufacturing industry. In 1939 they were living at Ings Cottages Crofton, Wakefield. Her husband died at Wakefield in 1944 and she remarried in 1948 to Richard A. Moore born February 10th 1914. Tamar Wren Parkin-Moore nee Ree died in the district of Wakefield in 1986.

Further details as regards Esther J. Ree and her mother Mary Elizabeth Ree nee Palmer, as yet unknown.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Thomas Ernest Balmor Ree is remembered at Dunston on D38.02,

at Dunston Hill on D31.01 and at Gateshead on G39.030 and G39.062.