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panbiker
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11/11/2007
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Thomas Henry Hutchinson was born in Skipton in 1899, he was the fifth child of Henry and Hannah Hutchinson. We have scant further information about him other than we know he was a member of the Scouting movement as a young man. The photograph below shows him at about age 12, obviously proud of his scouting roll.
Thomas’s older brother John Hutchinson was my wife Sally’s Grandfather.
On the 21st June 1915, John the eldest of the Hutchinson lads, answered the call to arms and enlisted. He was inducted into the 6th Battalion West Riding Regiment. At this point in the war, Thomas would be 16 years of age. One of his sisters Minerva (Minnie) was a great help to us when Sally was researching her family tree. She informed us that it wasn’t long after John enlisted that Thomas followed. We know that he joined the Territorial Reserves and was transferred to the 5th Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (K.O.Y.L.I). We have a photograph of him in his KOYLI uniform and would guess that he is not much older than 16 or 17 years, as Private 63010 Thomas Henry Hutchinson.
We have no further information regarding his early military service as most of the battalion records were destroyed by fire during the London Blitz in World War Two. A further family photograph shows Tom in uniform with his brother John. John is wounded in the picture and we know from John’s service record that this was mid 1917. Surviving military records only give us a glimpse of the circumstances of Toms death. The extract below was provided by Col. J.S. Cowley of the history unit of the Light Infantry Office. The extract refers to 1918.
The 5th Battalion K.O.Y.L.I. were not in action for the whole of October and on 2nd November they moved into the line near Ruesnes relieving the 17th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. On 3rd November they were in the line at Ruesnes and on the 3rd/4th November prepared to attack ORSINVAL. It is assumed that THOMAS was wounded and died whilst in the line at Ruesnes, probably shot by a sniper or enemy gun fire. He was one of only four in the battalion who died during the last month of the war. Sgt. Calvert won the Victoria Cross at Havrincourt on 12th September whilst serving with Tom.
From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Private TH Hutchinson 63010 5th Battalion Kings own Light Infantry died 13 Nov 1918 and is buried in plot 1 row D Grave 11 in Ruesnes Communal Cemetery, France.
The entry in Cravens roll of Honour reads :
Private TH Hutchinson George St, Carleton killed in action 2nd November 1918 aged 19 years.
From the book Soldiers who died in the Great War :
TH Hutchinson 63010 was born in Skipton and enlisted at Halifax. He died of wounds 3.11.1918. His previous No: in the Territorial Reserve Battalion was 5/220019.
Report from the Medal rolls reads :
No : 63010 Pte. Tom Harry Hutchinson - 5th Batt. Kings own Light Infantry. British war medal and Victory medal issued to next of kin 7th November 1921. Died of wounds in France 3rd November 1918.
It is clear from the information in surviving records that there is some discrepancy about the date of Tom’s death. He could have been killed outright on the 2nd or 3rd of November or possibly wounded on the same dates and died in a field hospital after the cessation of hostilities. There is no way of knowing for certain. Either way it is very poignant that this young lad, who almost certainly lied about his age to join his brother in the armed forces, survived for the best part of three years on and off in the horror of the First World War trenches only to lose his life in the last few days of the conflict.
His brother John survived the carnage of France and returned to Carleton. On 22nd Dec 1923 he married Maggie Ellison and just over a year later in 1924 their first child was born, a Son. He was named Thomas Henry after John’s fallen Brother.
In 1952 Thomas Henry married Louise Abram on the 27th September. Tom and Louise had two Daughters, Sally and Julia.
In 1976 I was married to Sally at Carleton Parish Church.
The story now winds forward to the summer of 2003. Sally’s Father Tom lost his battle to cancer on July 1st. His only regret which he shared with Sally before his death was that he, or any other member of the family had never visited his Uncle Tom’s grave in France. Sally promised that she would visit Tom’s grave and place a cross from the family.
Later that month we travelled over to France on the motorbike. We camped in a small village about 40 miles from where Tom had fought and died. On a bright and sunny day at the end of July we rode through the French countryside and found the small Communal Cemetery at Rousnes quite close to the Belgian border.
It’s a typical French Cemetery with tall monuments and chipping paths.
At the front, overlooking the very fields that young men fought and died for, there is a small area with the immaculately kept graves of the fallen. We found Tom’s grave and placed the cross from the family and sat for a while reflecting on the events that had brought us here.
When we left the Cemetery and made our way back to the bike, we looked out accross the cornfield towards the small village of Orsinval, just visible past the far corner of the field. At our feet, and all around the edge of the field as far as we could see were wild poppies. This seemed quite appropriate, thousands of them clinging to any piece of land they could, it’s fitting that we wear the poppy as a mark of remembrance.
I think the poem below, written in the trenches in 1915 expresses the sentiments we were feeling at the time. In Flanders Fieldsby John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
On a more personal note, Sally wrote these words while I was compiling this post. Tommyby Sally Lambert, November 2007
A Yorkshire lad
With the blood of the Dales in his veins Followed his brothers footsteps To fight for his country What did he think of in France? Was it exciting? Was it the adventure of a lifetime? Did he feel proud? Was he scared? It was such a different life to what he knew He never got the chance to tell us As his blood soaked into the French soil He never came home He never felt the warm arms of his sweetheart again He sleeps in France Forever Never to wake again Tom is buried in a French cemetery Laying besides his comrades Facing the field where he died His great niece visited him in 2003 The poppies were still growing in the fields He left us in 1918 His family will never forget him We will remember him always
Thomas Henry Hutchinson 1899 - 1918
Edited by - panbiker on 11/11/2007 12:03:06 AM
Ian
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pluggy
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 00:57
About the same age as my grandfather, he lied about his age to join up as well. He was one of the few of his regiment who came home. He died peacefully in 1982.
Need computer work ?
"http://www.stsr.co.uk" 
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 06:11
Lovely post Ian and the thing that struck me was that like my maternal grandad, he had almost survived the war when he was killed. What rotten luck......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 08:22
Thanks Panny.This will bring back memories for many. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator"  |
frankwilk
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 08:40
Thanks Pan
We intend to go to Arras in the Spring of 2008 taking the tin tent over for a couple of weeks
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 12:18
Thanks for the post, Panny.
My eyes filled up as I read it, together with the poems, especially Sally's. |
moh
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Posted - 11/11/2007 : 14:26
Mine too - we always thought hubby's uncle Fred Harrison was buried in the family grave in Winewall but learn from CWGC site he is buried in Vichte Military Cemetary in Belgium. He was killed on 31st October 1918 - so near to peace. His father, who was a very dour man, refused to shake his hand for some reason before he went back to the front off his last leave - I guess he regretted that.
I wonder how they chose which regiment to put the men in - Fred came from Cottontree and was put in 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers!
(I've just noted I don't get 2 spaces when I make a new paragraph like I did on the old site.)
Say only a little but say it well |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 12/11/2007 : 06:23
Moh, I think a lot depended on which unit had the most casualties. I listened for the maroons in Barlick yesterday and after the two minutes silence I cut Jack's claws. The thought struck me that any one of those blokes in the trenches would have given anything to be at home doing such a mundane task.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
panbiker
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Posted - 08/11/2008 : 20:42
I have brought this topic back up as it is now the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War and also the anniversary, or thereabouts of the loss of Pte. Thomas Henry Hutchinson 63010, 5th Battalion K.O.Y.L.I.
Lest we Forget.
Ian |
tripps
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Posted - 08/11/2008 : 21:44
You have done right to do so Pans. I have just re-read my post on Mesopotamia, which affected me a great deal when I researched and posted it. WW1 was not all trenches in Flanders. There were dreadful battles elewhere.
This is a great and dignified tribute to your relative. I am privileged to be a part of it for my 500th post on this site.
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Anni
Regular Member
634 Posts
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Posted - 08/11/2008 : 22:08
Panbiker,
I have only just seen this post because you brought it back up.
Do you know where Tom's father came from? I have Hutchinson in my tree - my great grandmother was "adopted" by Christopher Hutchinson from Bowes, Yorkshire.
It was a very moving story. Before my father passed away, I took him to some of the Commonwealth War Graves in Belgium and France. His desire was to see the burial place of his first cousin once removed, which was in Dunkirk. Unfortunately, he forgot to bring the paperwork with him.
After his death, I took a trip over to Dunkirk, found the burial site and placed some flowers. At that time (1997), I thought Robert Hardisty was the only relative we had lost in the Great War - that was a wrong assumption, as I was to discover.
My thoughts are with those very very brave men and their families - who paid the ultimate price so I could have my freedom.
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wendyf
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Posted - 08/11/2008 : 22:29
Thanks Ian, that is very moving. I have just learned that my Grandad, James Eastwood from Wyke in Bradford, enlisted in the KOYLI. He survived the war but never spoke about his experiences to his family. Another relative, Jack Whitney, was already in the KOYLI when war broke out, and was taken prisoner quite early on in the war. I can't find either of their service records on Ancestry, were the records all destroyed?
Wendy
Wendy
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panbiker
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Posted - 08/11/2008 : 23:08
We were informed that most but not all of the records had been lost in the London Blitz. The information we got came from the battalion history officer. I suppose it could account for the lack of information on your relatives service.
Ian |
softsuvner
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Posted - 09/11/2008 : 00:03
I probably mentioned this before, with an ordinary soldier of the First War there is about a 25% chance that their Service Record survived the London Blitz.
To be honest, just because you can't find it on the Ancestry index, I wouldn't assume that it doesn't survive ( Ancestry subscribers will know what I mean ). The only way you can really be sure is to search the records at Kew yourself, or pay someone to do it. There is quite a lot of information on the Internet about Brfitish First War Service Records.
Malcolm
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frankwilk
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Posted - 09/11/2008 : 00:56
Ancestry has just updated in the last couple of days so it may be worth another check
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
wendyf
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Posted - 09/11/2008 : 09:56
Only found out about the KOYLI connection yesterday, and Ancestry seemed a good place to make a start. My uncle may be able to give me some more info. Thanks everyone.
wendy
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In Flanders Field (A Tommies Story)
