Name
Thomas John Higgins
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/11/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
60975
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MONTAY-NEUVILLY ROAD CEMETERY, MONTAY
IV. A. 20.
France
Headstone Inscription
GOD IS OUR REFUGE & STRENGTH A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley, Church of the Ascension (The Tin Church), Bedmond
Biography
Thomas Higgins was the last man from Abbots Langley that died during the Great War, that is before the Armistice on 11th November 1918 brought the conflict to an end. He was killed in action on 4th November, seven days before the War ended. On the 2nd November the 2nd Bedfordshire’s were resting at Bousies, three miles north-east of Le Cateau, in France. They received orders to take part in an attack against Preux-au-bois on 4th November (part of the Larger Battle of the Sambre). The attack was entirely successful according to the 2nd Bedford’s War Diary. The battalion lost 7 men killed, Thomas being one of them, 34 wounded and three missing.
Thomas Higgins was born in Abbots Langley in 1893, one of four sons and a daughter of George Higgins and Amy (nee Ann Mary Oakley). The family lived at Bedmond Hill in the 1901 and 1911 Censuses. George Higgins worked as a House Painter. On the 1911 Census Thomas is listed as a Colour Mixer.
Thomas enlisted at Kingston on Thames, but when this happened is unknown. He is recorded as Private 60975 (Unpaid Lance Corporal) in the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Thomas was not mentioned in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour at any point throughout the War, but his death was recorded in the Parish Magazine in December 1918: “Thomas John Higgins of Bedmond, of the Sherwood Foresters (sic), was killed in action on November 4th. The news of his death was particularly sad, coming as it did a week after the news of the armistice. He was the second youngest of three brothers serving in the Forces, and was in the Metropolitan Police Force, he only joined the Army some few months back, and had only been in France a very short time. To his mother we offer the sympathy of us all.”
It is not known when or if Thomas served with the Sherwood Foresters, as the official records that exist do not include this reference. The official records indicate that he was killed in action with the 2nd Bedfordshire’s. His two brothers William and Herbert both survived the War.
Thomas Higgins was buried at Montay Neuville Cemetery to the north-west of Le Cateau, in France, and was commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial. He was also commemorated on the War Memorial at the Church of the Ascension at Bedmond. His younger brother Herbert emigrated to Australia and served with 24th Battalion AIF at Gallipoli and in France, being wounded twice but surviving the War.
Additional Information
Thomas is also commemorated on the family headstone in Abbots Langley (St. Lawrence) Churchyard, his inscription reads:
". . AND THOMAS JOHN HIGGINS THEIR SON KILLED IN ACTION NOVEMBER. 4. 1918 AGED 24. “HEAVEN’S MORNING BREAKS AND LIFE'S VAIN SHADOWS FLEE""
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
