Name
Thomas Victor Fortunati
22 April 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/01/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
47300
Royal Engineers
20th Divisional Signals Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GROVE TOWN CEMETERY, MEAULTE
II. L. 27.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials
Pre War
Thomas Victor was born in Hemel Hempstead on 22 April 1895, the eldest son of Camillo Thomas Fortunati, a commercial traveller in printing machinery, and his wife Charlotte Adelaide.
Between September 1906 and July 1909 he attended the Queen Elizabeth School in Barnet. At the time the family were living in Leicester Road, New Barnet. They later moved to Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead and by the 1911 Census were living at St James Road Harpenden.
Wartime Service
Thomas enlisted in the Royal Engineers as Sapper 17300. He went to France on 27 Jan 1915 and served with 20 (Light) Division Signals Company RE.
The Division were engaged on the Somme in 1916 and took part in Battles of Delville Wood, Guillemont, Flers- Courcelette, Morval and Le Transloy.
Thomas was wounded in action and died from the effects of his wounds on 16 Jan 1917 at 2/2 London Casualty Clearing Station.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £10 10s and arrears of £4 7s 8d paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History
Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk) Paul Johnson
