681194 GNR. T. EAVES. R.F.A.

 

Thomas Eaves was born in Preston at the end of June 1897 and baptised at Preston St Mary’s on 4 July.  His father was William Eaves (b. 1871 in Preston), a cotton weaver.  His mother was Jennet (also Janet or Jenette) Ormerod (b. 1877 in Preston).  William and Jennet were married in Preston in 1894 and they had five children: Thomas, then Arthur (b. 1899), Edward (b. 1900), George (b. 1907) and Edith (b. 1910).  There is a slight confusion in the 1911 Census as William states in the return that he and Jennet have only four children – perhaps he meant just the four they had living with them on the Census date, as at that time Thomas was living with his uncle George (William’s brother), his wife Isabella and their infant son Gilbert.  Tom was now 13 and had started work full-time as a cotton weaver.  He was living at 13 Nottingham Road, Preston.

 

Tom must have joined the Territorials as soon as he turned 18, or possibly even earlier.  He was assigned service number 3211 and posted to “A” Battery of 276 Brigade.  However, he did not go to France with the first landing in September 1915 but he may have been with them on the Somme in 1916.  He was later given the new service number 681194.

 

In June 1917, 276 Bde were at Ypres.  The War Diary records that in the early days of the month they were engaged in wire-cutting and general harassing fire, and on 6 June they supported an infantry raid carried out by 1/8th Liverpool Irish Regiment.  Tom was wounded around this time and he died of his wounds at 12 Casualty Clearing Station (Needinghem) on 8 June, a few days before his 20th birthday.

 

Rank:  Gunner

Service No:  681194

Date of Death:  08/06/1917

Age:  19

Regiment/Service:  Royal Field Artillery, “A” Bty, 276 Bde.

Cemetery/memorial reference: I. D. 11.

Cemetery/Memorial:  MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information:  Son of William and Jennette Eaves, of 50 Geoffrey Street, Ribbleton Lane, Preston, Lancs.

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