Name
Lewin Hugh Thomas
1875
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/07/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/7628
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 49-51
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial
Pre War
Lewin was born in 1875. Tho location of his birth varies according the source, e.g. 1881 Wetley Rocks, Staffordshire, 1911 Dresden, Staffordshire and SDITGW Southall, Middlesex. The former is believed to be correct, because he was baptised on 6 June 1875 in the St John the Baptist Church, Wetley Rocks, Staffordshire. His parents were Thomas Thomas and Harriot Thomas. They and Lewin have been difficult to trace in the various censuses. What we gave found is that in 1881 Lewin was living in with his widowed grandfather, John Thomas (71) in Hermon Village, Llangadwaladr , Anglesey. John was still working as a shoemaker. Other people present were Margaret Thomas (daughter 27), Lewin Thomas (6) and Ann Thomas (2), who was also a granddaughter and perhaps Lewin’s sister? We do not know whether Harriot was John’s daughter or stepdaughter.
We have not yet been able to positively identify the family in the subsequent censuses. However, at some point Lewin met Florence Elizabeth Huckle (b 15/8/1880 in Hitchin) and they married in Hitchin in 1904. They had two children Hugh in 1905 and Florence Doris in 1906.
Lewin was possibly living at 10 Coulson Street, London in 1908.
In 1911 all four were living at 116 Hambrough Road, Southall, Middlesex. Lewin was a working as a pastry cook (confectionary). Three other people were present: Christina Emily Mary Kempster Thomas (5) – a second cousin, Mary Pugh (60) an aunt and a widow and Frederick Huckle (21) Florence’s brother.
Officially he was recorded as born in Southall, Middlesex (sic) and was living there when he enlisted in Ealing, Middlesex.
Wartime Service
Lewin was allocated the Regimental Number G/9383 and posted to the 4th Battalion of the Regiment which was in the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division of V Corps in the 2nd Army. He was first posted wounded and missing and much later presumed killed in action in Belgium. This probably accounts for some discrepancy over the date of his death; most official records (CWGC, SDITGW, pension and Soldiers Effects and probate) give 19 July 1915, but his Regiment’s medal records give 16 June 1915
The Battalion had moved to the front line at 10.00pm on the 18th July 1915 and was involved in the actions at Hooge in the Ypres Salient. A mine was exploded under a German redoubt between the western end of Hooge and the Bellewarde Lake at 7.00pm on the 19th July 1915. Ten men of the 4th Battalion were killed by debris. Severe fighting went on all night. In the two days of the 19th and 20th July 1915 the Battalion sustained 300 killed, wounded and missing, being over one third of the total fighting strength of the Battalion.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death £1 10s 10d pay owing was authorised to go to his widow, Florence Elizabeth, on 7 February 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £3 was authorised to be paid to her/him on 6 September 1919.
His pension cards record Florence Elizabeth as his widow and his next of kin living 70 Bancroft, Hitchin. Their children were also recorded as Hugh Thomas (b 22/6/1905) and Florence Doris (b 15/6/1906). She was not eligible for a grant but was first awarded a pension of 21s a week from 31 July 1916, which seems to have been amended to 25s 3d. A note was added “Note that the Widow of above soldier has been awarded provisionally an Alternative Pension under article 13 of the R.W. of 25/3d a week with effect from 4.4.17. This award is in lieu of the current minimum pension of 13/9d a week with allowance for 2 children of 8/2d a week” This was dated 28 November 1917 and confirmed on 4 December 1917. Later, on 1 May 1918, this was increased to 33s 8d.
Probate was not obtained until 1954, when his daughter who (now Florence Doris Davenport, who had married and become an attorney obtained it, to the benefit of her brother Hugh. A former grant had been made on 12 February 1917. Probate recorded Lewis effects as £600.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
