Steve Grace Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Hiya, I don't know if anyone can help me in my search for information regarding my great grandad in law - Thomas King 17btn Sherwood Foresters - Notts and derby Regt, (Welbeck Rangers) His unit got to France late April 1916 and he passed away 22 May 1916. As you can see he wasn't in France for very long and his unit were not in any major battle before that date, I have looked on CWGC and found a little bit of stuff but I would like to find out more. Any help or links would be welcome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lewis Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Steve Welcome to the forum. Taken from Soldiers Died in the Great War CD rom. Thomas King 31066 Pte 17ty Bth Notts & Derby Rgt Born-Nottingham Enlisted-Hucknall, Notts Killed in Action 22/5/16 France & Flanders. Regards Doug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Grace Posted 9 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Thanx a lot for the info Doug, found out more in five minutes than I have done in months!! Where would you suggest I look to find out more?? I am just interested in where he served leading up to his death but just seem to come up against blanks!! It seems he wasn't in the trenches long so information is patchy. Cheers!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lewis Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Steve Have you followed the instructions at the top of the page about finding out more information? Regards Doug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Grace Posted 9 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2004 I have yes, but to no avail!! No one in Hucknall seems to care about the war dead, I have e mailed local papers with my plight but they haven't bothered to acknowledge me, I even had to write to my local m.p about the disgraceful state of the war memorial, Thomas King's name being one which has fallen off without being repaired!! Even if there are some links you can recommend I can go through i would be very grateful!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Steve, Have you tried the library in Nottingham or even Hucknall? Nottingham have the Evening Post on Microfilm which enables you to search it. There might be a slim chance that there is a report of his death etc, you never know. If there is a local paper in Hucknall then that will be a starting point for you to search. I wouls suggest you try this first before going to Nottingham Library. The Sherwood Foresters are an interest of mine so here's a little bit of info on the 17th Battalion: The Battalion were fromed at Nottingham on 1st June 1915 by the Mayor. They arrived in France in late April 1916 and fought on the Somme from August to the end of November 1916. They were heavily involved in the 1917 offensive and duing the German offensive in the spring of 1918. They suffered such grievous losses that they were to train the newly arrived American soldiers in trench warfare. You could also contact a researcher who will search to see if any service papers exist for your Great Grandad. if you email me i will send you the name of a researcher i use quite often. Don't get too excited though nearly all were destroyed during the Blitz in 1940!! Hope this helps you? Anthony PS he is buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery, France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Matthews Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Hi Steve I was at the Central Library in Nottingham this morning and was looking through the May-September 1916 microfilm roll for the Nottingham Evening Post. Whilst I didn't have time to look through all of the casualty lists detailed in the paper, there was certainly no portrait obituary for Thomas King. I would recommend looking through the South Notts Echo for this period. I do have some information on Hucknall men which I will check when I get home. Sorry I've got nothing more positive to report! Rgds Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Matthews Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Steve A further note; when I get chance I'll take a look at the Hucknall War Memorial to see if Thomas King is listed. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Grace Posted 10 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Hi Ed, Thanx a lot for your help in this matter, Thomas King is on the war memorial in Titchfield park in Hucknall, his name is one of those that has fallen off the memorial due to the poor state it is in. I have heard from the council that the memorial will be cleared and repaired soon. But again, anything you can find is most welcome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lewis Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Steve Thomas King's MIC can be found here. http://www.documentsonline.nationalarchive...1&resultcount=1 Regards Doug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Grace Posted 10 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Thanx Doug you are a legend!!! Trouble is I cannot download the document!!! Have sent an e mail so they can try and fix it!! regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Grace Posted 11 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2004 My father in law has found a picture of Thomas, if anyone can work out any new information dfrom this it would be very welcome. What I know about him is this - Born in Nottingham, Son of Thomas and Eliza King who are on the 1901 census but Thomas is not with them??!!?? I cannot find him at all on there, he had two sisters also (why would he not be on the census??) At the time of his death he was married to Lydia H King and they lived at 10 Allen Street, Hucknall. He was in the 17btn Sherwood Foresters (Welbeck Rangers) which was formed in Nottingham 1915, part of Kitcheners new army. What I can work out is he must of volunteered because he was fairly old (32 years, when he died) and he was married so I believe conscription wasn't bought in at that time? His btn arrived in France late April/Early May 1916 and he was killed in action 22nd May 1916. I have had his medical record kindly found for me by Doug but I cannot download it as the file is damaged!!! I just want to find as much info as I can of this brave man who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lewis Posted 11 July , 2004 Share Posted 11 July , 2004 I have had his medical record kindly found for me by Doug but I cannot download it as the file is damaged!!! Steve Just to correct you, MIC is medal index card, nowt to do with medical record Regards doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Grace Posted 11 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2004 Opps!! Thanx for the medical index card then!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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