Thomas Thomason, Royal Field Artillery

The 161st Brigade, RFA was a War Raised Unit and was part of the 32nd Division. They arrived in France in November 1915. In June 1917 Commonwealth forces relieved French forces on the Flanders coast taking responsibility for 6 kilometres of front line from the sea to a point south of Nieuport (now Nieuwpoort). They held this sector for six months, until 11 November 1917 when they moved further south to the Ypres Area. As the Division were not involved in any major actions during this period, it would suggest that he lost his life during routine artillery activity, probably from enemy artillery fire. He was one of five from 'C' Battery killed on that day. They are buried in close proximity to each other. The Brigade War Diary makes no mention of these losses apart from recording that on that day Nieuport and its bridges were targeted by enemy artillery.

Born at Holyhead, the eldest son of Joseph and Jane Thomason (nee Parry or Griffith) of 371 Hawthorne Road, Bootle, Liverpool. In 1911 he lived at 9 Edmund Street, Holyhead with his widowed mother, Jane (45), sister Ada (16) and brother John (14). His mother was born at Holyhead. His two siblings were born at Dublin, Ireland. Thomas was employed as a Crane Boy at the Railway Goods Warehouse, Holyhead.

Awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.

Buried in Coxyde Military Cemetary, Belgium. Grave location II.D.24.