Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Wilson, the youngest of 8 known children, all sons, was born at Iveston, County Durham, in 1888. His father Matthew Wilson of Wigan born 1833 married Ann Wright born 1846 at Blackford, both in the county of Cumberland, in 1864 in the district of Carlisle. Their sons James and John were born in Cumberland, in 1866 and 1868 respectively, before they migrated to the north east settling at Medomsley where Wilfred Wilson was born in 1871 and Matthew Jnr 1875. Matthew Snr worked as a tailor and to supplement the family income they had a lodger, 21-year-old miner, Thomas Hutchinson. By 1881 they had moved to Front Street, Iveston, James (15) was working as a locomotive engine sander and Wilfred was a scholar, their youngest child Harry born 1880 was 1-year-old. Matthew Snr left his trade as a tailor and took over as beer house keeper of the Travellers Rest at Iveston, James (25), Wilfred (20) and Matthew Jnr (16) were all working at the colliery, Harry (11) Robert (7) and William (5) attended school, Thomas was 2 years of age. Having reverted to his tailoring business for his own account by 1901 they had moved to Broom Hill, only his sons Harry employed as a hewer, Robert and William as pony driver’s, were still living at home as well as Thomas (12) who later also became a miner.
Aged 26 years and 4 months he left his employment to enlist at Consett, September 3rd 1914, assigned as Private 17974 Durham Light Infantry, he joined his regiment at their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. After initial training at home the new recruits were first moved to Woking by train from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as part of the second wave to arrive at Woking, Private Wilson was assigned to the 11th (Service) Battalion, then moved to Pirbright where the 11th converted to a Pioneer Battalion, January 6th 1915. Training was slow as at first they had no uniforms or equipment until they moved to Pirbright where they were issued with blue serge uniforms but leather equipment and khaki uniforms did not arrive until March 1915.
Private Wilson departed with the rest of the division July 19th 1915 arriving in France the following day where they landed at Boulogne, concentrating near St. Omer. The Pioneers were put to work repairing roads before moving to the front line to drain the mud filled trenches and strengthen barbed wire. He was treated for scabies October 18th 1915 returning to duty by the 20th, admitted to the 4th Stationary Hospital in St. Omer March 3rd 1916 with dental caries where he remained for 10 days. During the following months preparations were underway for the commencement of the Battle of the Somme where they were put to work repairing old and digging new trenches often working at night. In early September the Pioneers fought as infantrymen to capture Guillermont before spending another winter in the trenches. Private Wilson served as unpaid Acting Corporal as of October 25th 1916. Suffering from bronchitis November 16th 1916 he was admitted to the 61st Field Ambulance attached to the 20th Division returning to duty the following day.
Unpaid Lance Corporal 17974 Thomas Wilson Durham Light Infantry was killed in action December 13th 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,337 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating servicemen of the British and South African forces who died on the Somme 1915-1918, who have no known grave. He was 28 years of age and single.
1916 was a devastating year for the Wilson family, Thomas’s death had been preceded by that of his widowed father Matthew during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1916 aged 83 years of age. Thomas had drawn up a will prior to his departure which took into consideration his father’s advanced years, stating, “In the event of my death I leave my sole property to my father Matthew Wilson, Parker Buildings Iveston Leadgate, Co. Durham if anything happens to him it should go to my brothers equally and twenty pounds to my niece Margaret Wilson Iveston Leadgate Co. Durham, signed Thomas Wilson.” The money owed to him by the Army could not be distributed as per his request. Of his surviving brother James, John, Wilfred, Robert and William, the whereabouts of Wilfred was unknown and although the family knew William had emigrated to Canada, his exact whereabouts were also unknown. The bulk of the money was given to his niece Margaret J Johnson nee Wilson, the remainder to his brother James, niece Margaret M. Jackson and sister-in-law Mary. James Wilson also received his brother’s awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal in 1921.
Thomas’s brother William Wilson born at Iveston, County Durham, December 25th 1885 emigrated to Canada in 1910 where he married English expatriate Alice Melling in 1916, who had arrived in Canada in 1909. The census of 1921 lists them living at 339, Dufferin Street East, Vancouver, British Colombia, where William was employed as a labourer. William Wilson died August 1st 1974, Vancouver, British Colombia, aged 88 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Wilson is remembered at Iveston on I5.01 at Leadgate on L65.02 and L65.03
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 331
