Thomas was called up into the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 14 December 1916, under the Auxiliary Service Act, for the duration of the war. He was a 38-year-old shopkeeper and described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 128 lbs and of good physical development with a 35-inch chest and 6/6 vision in both eyes. It was noted that he was slightly deaf in both ears though, and probably in need of a wax discharge!
He joined the Royal Garrison Artillery but was never deployed to France, instead serving at home manning the static artillery placed to defend key ports and coastal installations. He was first posted to No.2 Depot (Coastal) at Gosport on 14 December 1916 with serial number 491318. He was likely based in one of the Palmerston Forts that encircle Portsmouth, originally built due to the perceived threat of a French invasion. He moved to Dorset RGA station at Weymouth on 7 January the following year, serving with No.2 Company at Poole from 26 May.
Move to the Labour Corps
On 16 March 1917 he had been categorised as ‘B2’, meaning that he was free from serious organic disease, able to stand service conditions on the lines of communication in France or in garrisons in the tropics and in addition, able to walk to and from work, a distance not exceeding five miles, and see and hear sufficiently well for ordinary purposes, but not suitable for service on the front line. He was transferred to the 541st Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps, at Preston, on 7 December 1917.
Thomas served with several companies, moving from the 541st to the 543rd in April 1918, and then to the 582nd in September and the 535th in December – all at Preston. He was demobilised into the Class Z reserve on 3 March 1919. By this time, the family had moved less than half a mile to another terraced house on Bowden Street.
Units
- 2 Depot (Coastal), Royal Garrison Artillery (1916-1917)
- 2 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery (1917)
- 541st Agricultural Company, Labour Corps (1917-1918)
- 543rd Agricultural Company, Labour Corps (1918)
- 535th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps (1918-1919)
See also
