In Magnolia Cemetery, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas, United States of America is the family headstone of 99389 Driver Thomas Aitken who served in the Royal Field Artillery who died 23/08/1957.

Thomas Aitken was born on the 14th July 1894, baptised 5th August 1894 at St Hilda’s church, South Shields, to Thomas Aitken, (born 9th June 1872, died 31st May 1916, on the HMS Queen Mary), and his wife Annie nee Dryden, Aitken, born 8th August 1874, died 1946, the eldest boy of eight children. Thomas and Annie were married on the 25th December 1893.

The other children were
George, born 16th June 1911, died 1981, married Gladys Delaney in 1946,
William Dryden, born 18th August 1900, baptised 2nd September 1900 at St Hilda’s, South Shields, [in 1939, a Foy boatman, he was widowed, residing with a daughter at school, Nancy Anne Aitken, born 14th May 1929, and two other children at 103 Henry Street, South Shields],
Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Ann Thompson, born 11th June 1903, died 1995,
Margaret Dew, born 18th April 1907,
and Kate, born 18th July 1896, baptised at St Hilda’s church 23rd August 1896, died in 1988, [she married Joseph Newby Stocks, born 6th November 1896, died 1961, in 1921, in 1939 they were residing at 10 Palmerston Street, South Shields with two children, an Annie Stocks, born 21st July 1919, who married a Ferguson and Mary Jane Curry Stocks, born 3rd September 1922, died 1995.

Thomas Aitken was educated at the Church of England Holy Trinity School at South Shields from the 7th July 1902 to the 30th October 1907. In 1901 and 1911 he was residing at 3 Urwin’s Gardens, South Shields. He was listed as a general labourer.

Thomas enlisted for three years or the Duration of the War, on the 31st August 1914 at Bolingbroke Drill Hall, South Shields. 5 feet 6 and a quarter inches tall , fresh complexion, 131 lbs, blue eyes and brown hair with a dot tattoo on his right hand between thumb and forefinger.

On the 1st September 1914, he is at Sunderland having a Medical examination. At Newcastle upon Tyne he is posted to the No 1 Depot, Royal Field Artillery into ‘I’ Battery. On the 10th December 1914 he is posted to the 26th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Comprising 116, 117 and 118 Batteries, this brigade was under command of 1st Division. 118 Battery left 4th February 1915 for 28th Division and joined 31 Brigade RFA. 40 (Howitzer) Battery, less one section, joined from 43 (Howitzer) Brigade also of 1st Division on the 22nd May 1916. On the 14th January 1917 the brigade left 1st Division to become an Army Field Artillery Brigade. 40 Battery left it to join 25 Brigade RFA in 1st Division and was replaced by ‘A’ Battery coming from 166 (Camberwell) Brigade RFA of 33rd Division. Source: Long Long Trail.

Thomas was a Driver and up to the 31st July 1915 he was posted to 6C Reserve Brigade at Glasgow (possibly Maryhill), consisting of 52, 146 and 147 Batteries, then on the 1st August 1915, he is with the 53rd Brigade. On the 13th March 1915, Thomas gets his first attack of nephritis in Somerset, and he is sent to various hospitals for 65 days. Thomas did not serve abroad, he was based in the UK on home defence duties. On discharge from Hospital he re-joined his unit at Edinburgh on the 15th August. He is now employed as an officers orderly, but has not been treated at a Aldershot Hospital but is being treated constantly and complaining. His general condition is described as poor.

On the 18th July 1918 he is assessed on his medical condition and percentage of his disability for pension entitlement at Aldershot. He is discharged under KR 392 Para xvi, Army Order 29 of 1919, as ‘physically unfit to be a soldier’ and is awarded a 20% pension. This ended in 1919 when Thomas received a final payment of £130 from the pension board on agreement that no more claims would be made against them. Thomas was awarded a Silver War Badge, number B227450 issued on the 11th July 1919. Thomas was finally discharged on the 8th August 1918.

On the 22nd September 1919, Thomas Aitken emigrated to the USA, leaving Liverpool on the 28th September 1919, onboard the SS Carmania, ship number 120901, arriving at New York on the 2nd October 1919. His final destination was Beaumont in Texas USA. In 1920 he is lodging at his Uncle Frank and his wife Hannah nee Aitken, Zaganonsky, {Hannah, who was the eldest daughter of Thomas Aitken’s father, and she married in 1900 Frank Zaganonsky, a Polish Russian born 1864, they both emigrated to the USA, Frank in 1914 with Hannah following in 1915. They were residing at 114 Magnolia Gardens. Jefferson County, Texas}. Thomas was a salesman selling Automobile parts, with a partner, the company was called Aitken and Burkett Auto parts based at 945 Park Street, Beaumont, Texas.

Thomas married  Mary Elsie Tillberry, [born 9th September 1899, Towanda, Illinois, died 27th April 1993], on the 29th January 1923 at Beaumont, Texas. Thomas became a Naturalised USA Citizen on the 7th March 1938. He had been in Jefferson County since the 5th October 1919.

In WW2, Thomas has to fill in a Draft card, he and his wife are residing at 945 Park Street, Central Drive, Calder Highlands, Beaumont, Texas. Now aged 48. In 1950 they are residing at 199 Central Drive Apartment 1190.

Thomas Aitken, now retired, died on the 23rd August 1957, at Hotel Dieu Hospital at 12.45am, in Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas. He was 63 years 1 month and 9 days old. His wife was beside her husband when he died. He died of Chronic Glomerulonephritis which he suffered for about two years before his death. He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery with his wife who died on the 27th April 1993. Thomas was buried on the 25th August 1957. The Funeral directors was a L. M. Williams and Sons.

Thomas Aitken is remembered at South Shields in S86.082 page 3.