Son of Charles Edward Thomas & Catherine Daley
b. 1883 ENG - d. 1924 ENG

World War I, 1914-1918
King's Liverpool Regiment 14th Battalion
Rank: Private
Service numbers: K19972 and/or 54/087668

Before signing up for military service on 5 September 1914, William worked as a goods checker for the railway.
He appears in a photo of the 23rd Service Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, along with John Pierce Moore, though he enlisted with the King's Liverpool Regiment 14th Battalion. His military papers note him as belonging to the North Lancashire Regiment but this is crossed out and the King's Liverpool Regiment put in.
According to army records, William was 5'3" tall with brown eyes and hair, of fair complexion and weighing 114 pounds. He'd a small scar on the right side of his chest and another over his right eyebrow. He was a 'Railway checker' and of the Catholic faith. He underwent a medical on 5 September 1914 in Manchester and was considered fit for military service. His age at the time was 31 years and four months. His next of kin was his wife Mary Ellen [Lowry] THOMAS and her address was 68 Junction Street, Ancoats in Manchester.

France (1915-1916)
Egypt (1916)
With the rank of private, William served "at home" from 5 September 1914 to 3 September 1915, in France from 4 September 1915 to 29 March 1916, in Egypt from 30 March 1916 to 22 December 1916, and back "at home" from 23 December 1916 to 9 May 1917. He had been poisoned by gas and was discharged in 1917.

William THOMAS 3rd from right front row (kneeling X) - England, 1915

Source: Military documents