In Hospital Farm Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of Lieutenant Thomas Elmslie Middlemiss, serving with the “B” Battery, 223rd Brigade, Royal Artillery, 4th Northumbrian (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (T.F.) who died 17/10/1917.

In Sunderland Mere Knolls Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:

In Sunderland Mere Knolls Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:

Sacred
to the memory of
Eleanora Burnop
beloved wife of
Magnus Mail born 12th June 1827,
died 23rd November 1900.
And of the above
Magnus Mail born 24th February 1824,
died 25th March 1903.

In the memory of
Clementina Johnson Mail
daughter of
Magnus & Eleanora Mail
died March 3rd  1863,
aged 2 years.
Also of James Mail
died at Edmunton, Alberta
June 3rd 1912.
Magnus Mail
died at sea March 18th 1916
sons of Magnus & Eleanora Mail.

In loving memory of
Lionel Leo Mail
of Edmonton, Alberta.
2nd Lieut. Frank Oswald Mail
of Corbridge
Lieut. Thos. Elmslie Middlemiss
late of Roker.
Grandsons of
Magnus & Eleanora Mail
who fell in the Great War
and are buried abroad.

Thomas was born in Sunderland on the 10th July 1891. He was the only son of three children of the Reverend John Thomas Middlemiss, [born 1858, in Morpeth] F.S.A. Scotland, of 3 The Beeches, West Didsbury and his wife Eleanora Burnop, [born 1862, Sunderland] daughter of Magnus Mail. There were two younger sisters called Eileen [born 1893] and Mary [born 1896].

Thomas was educated at Taunton School.

J.T. Middlemiss was a Presbyterian minister and was associated amongst others with the North Bridge Street Church. In 1891, between April and July the family moved to Sunderland to 7 Dundas Street, with their servant.

Thomas was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant on the 22nd March 1915 in the Royal Field Artillery. He was promoted to Lieutenant in July 1917. Thomas served in France and Flanders from June 1916.

He was killed in action near Ypres on the 17th October 1917 and was buried at Hospital Farm, Elverdinghe, North West of Ypres.

The Commanding Officer of the 63rd Royal Naval Divisional Artillery, wrote: By his death his country, and our Divisional Artillery have lost a very excellent officer, whom we could ill afford to lose. He was the life and soul of the mess, always cheerful under all conditions, and we shall miss him terribly. We shall cherish his memory, as he leaves behind him a host of friends who will often think of him. He was exceedingly well known and liked all over the division, infantry as well as artillery.

Source: De Ruvigny Roll of Honour

Morpeth Herald 09/11/1917 carries a brief obituary:
News has been received that Lieut. T. Elmslie Middlemiss, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action on October 17th. He was the only son of the Rev. J.T. and Mrs Middlemiss, The Beeches, West Didsbury, and grandson of the late Mr Geo. Middlemiss, Morpeth. Lieut. Middlemiss was 26 years of age.

In his Will dated 26th March he left effects of £483 14s 3d to his father John Thomas Middlemiss minister.

There was a re-union dinner for the 4th Northumbrian Howitzer Brigade in 1920, which was reported in the local newspaper.

His cousins Lionel Leo Mail and Frank Oswald Mail also died in WW1.

Thomas Elmslie Middlemiss is remembered at Sunderland in S140.048 part 09 page 187