Thomas Cyril Turner
- Family History
- Military History
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Thomas Cyril was born in 1897 in Daybrook and was the son of Samuel a coal miner and Betsy Turner née Simpson but moved to reside at 24 Burnaby Street, Basford, Nottingham. His father Samuel was born in 1870 at Basford and his mother Betsy Ann Simpson was born in 1868 in Daybrook, they were married in 1896 their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District, they had a further daughter Gladys born 1901 in Daybrook. In the 1911 census Thomas and his family are living at 13 Byron Street, Daybrook and he had become known by his middle name of Cyril he was shown as 14 years of age and an errand boy,
He enlisted at Basford on 19th April 1915 into The 2nd/1st Notts and Derby Field Ambulance who were nothing at all to do with the Sherwood Foresters The Notts and Derbys Regiment. It was in fact a formation of the Medical Corps made up of men from the Notts and Derbys area, hence its title. He gave his age as 19 yrs and his address as 24 Burnaby Street, Old Basford, Nottingham. He embarked from Southampton on 27th October 1915 to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force being transported in the 'SS Mercian' The events which surround the death of Thomas are not known, that is, until his body was washed ashore at the beginning of December 1915, on the Algerian coast. It was well recorded in the Nottingham Evening Post of Thursday 3rd February 1916, and the following are edited extracts taken from that article. It was thought that the body had been in the water for about three weeks. Identification of his body was proved by papers giving his name and disclosing that he belonged “au medical du regiment Notts and Derby” Arzew, where the burial took place was a military centre on the coast about 23 miles east of Oran, and the proceedings were of a most impressive character – the most imposing, the report states, the town had known. At the head of the cortege marched detachments of honour belonging to the various regiments of foot and horse soldiers, followed by the Colonel in Command, the British Vice-Consul, the Mayor, and other officials with the municipal councillors, military officers, representatives of the schools, and an immense crowd of people. Funeral orations were delivered by the Colonel, the Mayor, and the British Vice-Consul, the last named eloquently declaring -- “ Let the ashes of the sons of Britain, lying side by side with those of the children of France in this French soil, cement afresh that perfect entente, respect and mutual affection which animates us, and will lead us to the final and glorious victory. France welcomes the dead young hero as one of her own, as a precious pledge of victory. Rest, therefore, in peace as in your own land, among your own people, and when the victorious trumpets of the Allies shall sound then, young hero, you will have just vengeance as well as recompense for the sacrifices you have so willingly made”.
Private Thomas Cyril Turner, 2nd/1st Notts and Derby Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps, died at sea on 24th November 1915 in unexplained circumstances. Several weeks later, his body was washed up on the Algerian shore and his funeral was reported on 3rd February 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “HONOURED BY FRANCE. “PUBLIC FUNERAL OF NOTTINGHAM SOLDIER IN ALGERIA. “We have received a copy of Le Petit Oranais giving an account, to the extent of nearly a column and a half, of the funeral of Private T. C. Turner, R.A.M.C., of 24, Burnaby-street, Old Basford, and formerly of Arnold, whose body was washed ashore at the beginning of December [1915] on the Algerian coast after being in the water, it is supposed, about three weeks. Identification was proved by papers, giving his name and disclosing that he belonged “au médical du regiment Notts et Derby.” “Arzew, where the burial took place, is a military centre on the coast about 23 miles east of Oran, and the proceedings were of a most impressive character – the most imposing, the report states, the town had known. At the head of the cortège marched detachments of honour belonging to various regiments of foot and horse soldiers, followed by the colonel in command, the British Vice-Consul, the Mayor, and other officials, with the municipal councillors, military officers, representatives of the schools, and an immense crowd of people. “Funeral orations when delivered by the colonel, the Mayor, and the British Vice-Consul, the last-named eloquently declaring: “Let the ashes of the sons of Britain, lying side by side with those of the children of France in this French soil, cement afresh that perfect entente, respect and mutual affection which animates us, and will lead us to the final and glorious victory. Rest, therefore, in peace as in your own victorious trumpets of the Allies shall sound then, young hero, you will have just vengeance as well as recompense for the sacrifices you have so willingly made.” Above report is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
