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Thomas Glass - Highland Light Infantry


Guest pete

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Hello (first post!)

I'm trying to research my Great, Great uncle Thomas Glass. He was a Private of the Highland Light Infantry 16th Bn and died 7th February 1918 aged 24. Does anybody know where he may have been at this time?

Thank you in advance, any help is much appreciated.

Pete

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Hello Pete, welcome to the forum and good luck

The 16th Bn, HLI were part of the 32nd Division and were engaged in France in February 1918. More details can be seen on the HLI and 32nd Division pages on the Long, Long Trail.

However, according to the Commonwaelth War Graves Commission:

Name: GLASS, THOMAS W.

Initials: T W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Highland Light Infantry

Unit Text: 16th Bn.

Age: 24

Date of Death: 07/02/1918

Service No: 21506

Additional information: Son of Ann Glass, of 2, Cornelia Terrace, Seaham Harbour, and the late William Glass.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. C. 746.

Cemetery: SEAHAM CEMETERY

That's Seaham, Co. Durham. Thomas, it seems, died in the UK. Bodies were not repatriated from France.

Hope that helps a bit.

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Pete

SDGW on CD has him as Thomas M Glass

Born: Seaham Harbour, Durham

Enlisted: Sunderland, Durham

Residence: Seaham Harbour

Formally 52086 Royal Garrison Artillery

He is shown as ‘Died’. This means he probably succumbed to disease or illness, but there is a possibility he died through accident.

Regards

Mark

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Pete

A bit more information.

The reference for your Great, Great Uncle’s death certificate is:

Quarter: March 1918

Name: Glass T. W.

Age: 24

District: Bromley

Volume: 2a

Page: 850

You can order it on-line from the Office of National Statistics for £7. It should arrive 4-5 working days.

Some certificates are quite bland but others can be very informative. In addition to the cause of death it will show:

• Where died: If in hospital this may in addition to the hospital name show the address – useful if you want to identify the actual building.

• Occupation: Rank, no, and unit details and in many cases the serviceman’s civil occupation and sometimes his home address

• Description and residence of informant (i.e. the person registering the death): May show next of kin or relative details, if present at the death.

The following link will take you the on-line ordering facility:

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/index.asp#0

Good luck

Mark

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Hi Pete

My great uncle was also in the 16th HLI. There is book by Thomas Chalmers called the 'History of the 16th HLI' which will tell you a bit about about where the battalion went and what they did. You can get it from www.naval-military-press.com. Or I'll gladly tell you what's in it if you have certain dates. I've looked in the list of men who went out originally in November 1915 and he's not there. So must have joined the battalion later, probably as reinforcement like my great uncle. But someone more knowledgeable will tell you more about his number.

Do you know when he enlisted or when he joined the HLI? I also looked for him in the 'In Memoriam' again he is not there, but as was said earlier he must have died in Britain and not France (or he would be there).

My great uncle joined the HLI about mid 1917 and was killed on 2/12/1917 - not all that long before your great uncle died. All the best in your research. I would be interested to hear if you find out more about him, given that he may have been in the 16th HLI at the same time as my relative.

Kind regards

Joanne

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Thanks very much, you're help is much appreciated :) . However, on further research, I have found that I researched the wrong Thomas Glass! Strangely, both men were from the Sunderland area and I happened to research the wrong man!

Anyway my Thomas Glass was a Private in Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry 'C' Coy 7th Bn and died 19th February 1916. Buried at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Very sorry for the confusion (especially you Joanne) but could anybody tell me much about this regiment?

Thank you again in advance :)

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