Name
Thomas Childs
8 February 1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1918
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
30822
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 28 and 29.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Leverstock Green Village Memorial, Not on the London Colney memorials
Pre War
Thomas Childs was born on 8 February 1883 in London Colney, Herts the son of Thomas and Hannah Chiilds, and one of eight children. He was baptised at St Peter's Church in London Colney on 6 May 1883.
On the 1891 Census, the family were living at Newberries Farm, Radlett, Aldenham, Herts where his father was a Park Keeper. Thomas was educated at Shenley Road School, Watford, followed by Beechen Grove Board School, and left in 1895.
By 1901 they had moved to North End Farm, Leverstock Green, Herts, where his father had leased the farm and was the farmer. Thomas and his brothers Edward and Arthur were all listed as "Farmer's Son" and employed on the farm. There were celebrations at North End Farm in August 1902 for King Edward VII's coronation.
He married Lizzie Pearce on 29 May 1915 at Holy Trinity, Leverstock Green and they had a son, Reggie Thomas, on 16 May the following year. His baptism record gives their address at that time as Leather Bottle Terrace and Thomas's occupation as gardener.
Lizzie later lived at 2 Alban Cottages, Leverstock Green.
Wartime Service
Agricultural work was a reserved occupation at the beginning of the war but Thomas eventually enlisted in Bedford in August 1916 and served with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and was posted to France in November the same year.
He saw his first serious action during the Battle of Arras at the First Battle of the Scarpe in April 1917, and in June he fought at the Battle of Messines Ridge. the Battalion then moved to Belgium and fought at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (part of the Battle of Ypres).
The following year he was in France at the Battle of St Quentin (during the Somme Offensive) where the Battalion suffered heavy casualties. He then was involved in the Battle of Kemmel and action in the trenches. On 1 July 1918 he was killed in action, aged 34, during the attack on Bouzincourt Spur, near Albert, France. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £11 and pay owing of £21 16s.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, hemelheroes.com.
