Thomas Reader

Unknown

Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 14/12/1944. Soldier's Death.
The mystery of Thomas Reader, bombardier of the 396th Battery Heavy Anti-Aircraft whose home was at 6 Newcastle Street, Warsop and whose body was found in a pondwith a bullet in the abdomen was not solved at his inquest on Thursday at Launceston, The coroner returned an open verdict, but there was not enough evidence to show how the body came to be in the pond. Gnr Henry James Willis, a freind of Reader said that on the day before the body was found he had heard a shot from some distance but did not pay an attention to it has he had heard shots before. Dr FDM Hocking, pathgologist, said there were two recent wounds in Reader's abdomen apperntly caused by a firearm. The body had been immersed in waterbefore death, which caused asphyxiation associated with drowning. He expressed the opinon that the shot was fired with the muzzle of the weapon pressed against the outer clothing.
Bombardier Reader who is the second son lived with his parents before joining up. At one time he worked in the brickyards of Welbeck Colliery and was later employed underground. He was a popular personality in the locality and had a host of freinds. The interment was at Warsop Cemetery.