| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Thomas was born in West Hartlepool in the late summer of 1875 and baptised at Christ Church, Hartlepool on September 12th of that year. He was one of nine children born to Essex-born Joseph Curtis (1834-1919) and his Scottish wife Jane. After serving in the navy, Thomas’ father was described as an “earthenware dealer” in the 1881 census and living in Newington, Hull. He was later a board school caretaker in Hull. His parents finally moved to Hutton Cranswick.
Thomas joined the army in the 1890s. He served in the 9th Lancers (Queen’s Royal) and reached the rank of lance-corporal by the time of the South African War of 1899-1902. He was awarded the South African Medal and the Belmont, Modder River and Orange Free State clasp. He later reached the rank of sergeant and by the time of WW1 the senior warrant officer rank of squadron quartermaster sergeant. His connection with the Beverley area came in June 1908 when he was married at Tickton Parish Church. His new wife was Mary Ellen Porritt, born in 1877, daughter of a local farmer, Robert Porritt. Their only child, Josephine, was born in the Transvaal in South Africa in June 1908, Mary having accompanied her husband in service there. The family were living at barracks in Canterbury, Kent, in 1911 but by the time of the war Mary and Josephine were living at 2 Salem Place, Morton Lane, in Beverley.
The 9th Lancers went to France immediately after the outbreak of war on August 15th 1914 as part of the 1st Cavalry Division in the British Expeditionary Force. The 9th were involved in cavalry charges at Audreignes on August 24th and Moncel on September 7th, the latter the last cavalry charge of the British Army. It is not known whether Thomas took part but on September 29th 1914 he was killed in action, aged 39, and is buried at Longueval Communal Cemetery, Picardie in France. He was awarded the 1914 Star and the War and Victory Medals. He is commemorated on the East Riding Memorial in Beverley Minster and on the Hengate Memorial. His wife and daughter later moved to Bridlington. Mary died in 1955.
Includes information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |