Name
Thomas Crockett
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/10/1916
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
6067
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
1st/8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. H. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bourne End Village Memorial,
St John's Church Roll of Honour (book), Bourne End,
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
Not on the Boxmoor memorials
Pre War
Thomas Crockett was born in Bourne End, Bovingdon, nr Hemel Hempstead, Herts on 19 September 1887, the son of William and Charlotte Crockett, and baptised at St Lawrence Church, Bovingdon on 6 November 1887. He was one of 12 children, three of whom died in infancy. When Thomas was born his father was working as a Footman, possibly at one of the two large houses in nearby Box Lane.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Bourne End, where his father was working as a Labourer. He remained in the family home at Bourne End, Boxmoor in 1911 and was working as a General Labourer.
Wartime Service
Thomas was called up in late 1915 and enlisted at Watford and joined the 1/8th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, being sent to Hounslow to train. It is likely that he went to to France and joined the Battalion the following June.
He would have seen action during the Battles of the Somme, at Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette and Morval, but in the Battle of Transloy Ridge in October, the Battalion experienced heavy German shelling on the 7th and 8th and during this time Thomas was wounded.
He died of wounds in France on 9 October 1916, aged 29, and is buried at Abbeville Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
Brother to William Crockett who died on 11 March 1915 and whose name is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France. His brother Ernest served with the Army Service Corps but survived the war.
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 11s 7d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com.
