Name
Thomas Henry Drage (MM)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/09/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
328007
Lancashire Fusiliers
1st/8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RIBECOURT ROAD CEMETERY, TRESCAULT
II. D. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary the Virgin Church, Therfield,
Non-conformist Chapel, Therfield,
Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford,
Not on the Buckland memorial,
We are not aware of any memorial in Reed End
Pre War
Born 1890 in Buckland, Herts. (possibly the postal address for Buckland) son of William and Sarah Drage and christened on 8 Mar 1891. Enlisted in Royston.
1891 census details: He was the son of William Henry and Sarah Drage and they were living in Buckland.
1901 census details:
The family including Thomas were still living in Buckland, Thomas working as a ploughman in Reed End, Therfield.
1911 census details: By this time Sarah had lost her husband (in 1903) and re-married James Stoten who had 2 sons, William, 20 and Arthur 17. They were living at Reed End, Therfield. The 3 boys were recorded as ploughmen.
Thomas was said to be employed by Messrs. Gimson and Co. Royston before he enlisted.
Wartime Service
Formerly 202367 Gloucestershire Regiment. Formerly 1696 Hertfordshire Regiment.
Thomas enlisted in the Old Royston Company of the Hertfordshire Regiment according to the newspaper report. He was transferred to the Gloucesters and went out to France on May 3rd 1916. Early in 1918 he was transferred to the Lancashire Fusiliers.
His service records have not survived so it is difficult to know when he was made up to Sergeant (possibly later in 1918).
He was awarded the Military Medal in August 1918 ‘for bravery’. His commanding officer in a letter to his mother said “He was killed in battle on September 27th whilst giving the utmost encouragement to the men and showing splendid courage and bravery”.
On September 27th the 1/8th Lancashire Fusiliers were involved in the battle of the Canal du Nord near Cambrai, France.
On the Hindenburg Line it was in the Battle of the Canal du Nord, where the Official History records that 125th Brigade's advance at 07.52 on 27 September 'was met by very heavy fire in front from machine guns which the barrage did not seem to have touched, and from Beaucamp on the right ... It reached an intermediate objective about five hundred yards from the front line and towards noon a little beyond this; but there it had to remain'. However, IV Corps renewed the attack after dark: 'The night was very dark and rainy, but the attack was a complete success; the enemy was surprised; very little opposition was encountered and many prisoners were taken. Under barrages moving a hundred yards in 5 minutes, the front lines of the 125th and 127th Brigades of the 42nd Division ... went forward in succession' 42nd Division resumed the attack the following afternoon (28 September), 'when the 125th and 126th brigades (the latter passing through the 127th), after some opposition, reached the top of Welsh Ridge, the objective of the division'.
He was recorded as Corporal though when his death was announced in the Royston Crow he was said to be Sergeant. He served his country well and was 28 when he died according to the ‘Royston Crow’.
He is buried in Ribecourt Road Cemetery, Trescault, very close to where he fell. Area 2, Row D, Grave 2.
Additional Information
Soldiers effects details: £43, 9s. 3d was sent to his mother Sarah Stoten.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Jean Handley, Jonty Wild
