| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Thomas Henry Edmond was born in Beverley 1895, the eldest son of William and Hannah Edmond. In 1911 Thomas was employed as a glue sorter at the Tannery. In Mar 1912, shortly after his 17th birthday, he enlisted in the Regular Army, and at the outbreak of war, was serving with the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment embarking to France in Apr 1915. He attained the rank of Corporal while serving with the Yorkshire Regiment.
Newly developed tanks were introduced into the war in 1916, and Thomas was transferred to the 1st Tank Corps in Dec 1916. Initially the Tank Corps recruited men who had experience of heavy vehicles and heavy machinery, such as machine-gunners and artillerymen. A photograph of Thomas was published in the Beverley Guardian in Sep 1918 stating that he was serving in the Tank Corps, he was shown wearing a Machine Gun Corps cap badge. He attained the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant, and was awarded the British War and Victory medals, along with the 1914-1915 Star.
Having survived the war, Thomas continued to serve in the Tank Corps, serving in India with the 6th Armoured Car Company Royal Tank Corps between 1933 and 1935, and he was finally demobilised in June 1939 with the rank of Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant, his character was described as Exemplary.
In 1920 Thomas married Raymonde Marie Pruvost in Rouen, and in 1924 they had a son, Louis, who lived for only a few days, shortly afterwards, Raymonde Marie also died. In December 1925 Thomas married Marion McNeil at Aldershot Roman Catholic Church. Thomas and Marion had three daughters, Edith born 1926, Myra born 1927, and Marion born 1937. The 1939 Register shows Thomas and Marion living with their family in Salisbury and he is listed as a grade IV temporary clerk for the War Office.
Thomas died in Salisbury in 1964. He was survived by Marion who died in Salisbury in 1974.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |