Name
Thomas Alderman
10 July 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
11098
Royal Fusiliers *1
32nd (County of London)(Service) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DARTMOOR CEMETERY, BECORDEL-BECOURT
II. A. 12.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Paul's Church Memorial Roll, Hemel Hempstead, Marlowes Baptist Church, Marlowes, Leverstock Green Village Memorial, Not on the St Albans memorials, Not on the Harpenden memorials
Pre War
Thomas Alderman was born on 10 July 1896 in Harpenden, the son of David and Lucy Alderman and one of 5 children. He was baptised in Harpenden on 4 September 1898. On the 1901 Census, the family were living at Ayres End Lane, Wheathampstead, Herts, where his father was working as a Stockman (Cattleman) on a Farm.
His mother died in 1906 and his sister Rosella became housekeeper for the family. On the 1911 Census, they were living in Wood Lane End, near Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead and 14 year old Thomas was working in the paper mills (John Dickinson & Co) as an errand boy.
He was known as a keen footballer and employed at Midlands Railways Hemel Hempstead station as a porter at the time of enlistment, having joined the National Union of Railwaymen in August 1913.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford in January 1915 and was posted to the 13th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. After basic training at Hounslow, he went to Salisbury Plain for further training before departing from Folkestone on board the steamship The Golden Eagle, arriving in Boulogne, France on 30 July 1915. At some point, he was transferred to the 32nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and served with them on the Western Front.
After a year of active service he received some home leave during June 1916. A visit which was to be his last.
On the 15 September 1916, the Battalion were in locations 200 yards in front of Delville Wood in the Somme region. During an attack on German positions the Battalion suffered 293 Casualties in Killed, Wounded and Missing. Thomas Alderman was wounded and carried back to an aid station where he later died of his wounds.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £2 11s 9d. A Herts Advertiser photograph records Thomas as of St Albans formerly of Hemel Hempstead.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London)(Service) Bn London Regiment (East Ham).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson, www.dacorumheritage,org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org, sites.google.com/site/leverstockgreenwarmemorial, www.hemelheroes.com
