Name
Thomas Ebeneezer Larkins
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Sergeant
25419
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Ickleford memorials, Stotfold War Memorial, Bedfordshire
Pre War
Thomas Ebeneezer Larkins was born in in Ickleford, Nr Hitchin in 1895, the son of Ebeneezer and Jemima Larkins (nee Fowler), and baptised at St Mark's, Hatfield, Herts on 21 November 1897. He was one of nine children although one had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, where his father was working as a hurdle maker. By 1911 they had moved to Brook Street, Stotfold, Beds and Thomas was working as a Hurdle Maker (as was his father).
Wartime Service
Thomas enlisted at Bedford and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. He served with the 4th Battalion as Corporal, later being promoted to Lance Sergeant.
He was killed in action on 23 April 1917 during the Battle of Arras. The 4th Battalion attacked at 4.45 am, captured the village (Gavrelle) and reached their objectives, but were shelled very heavily during the day and suffered a counter attack in the afternoon.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. He is one of 62 soldiers from the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment who died on the same day and who are named on the memorial.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £8 15s 10d. Pensions records exist and it is likely his mother received a pension, however there is no amount recorded.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer
