Thomas Campbell
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Thomas was the third son of Robert Dickson and Christina Campbell (née Martin). Although Thomas's military records gave his place of birth as Aberdeen, Scotland, his birth was registered in Lancaster. Both his parents were born in Scotland and were married in Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire, in 1873. They had eight children, six of whom survived infancy: James Adam b. abt. 1874 and Jane b. 1875 who were born in Chatham, Kent, and Christina b. 1879, Robert b. 1882, Thomas b. 1885 and Annie b. 1886 who were all born in Lancaster. Robert, a tailor and draper, Christina and their children James Adam and Jane were living at 1 Dalton Square, Lancaster, in 1881 and were at the same address in 1891. In the home on the night of the 1891 census were Robert snr., his wife and their four children, James a grocer's assistant, Robert, Thomas and Annie. The two older daughters, Jane and Christina, were living in Barrow in Furness with their uncle, James Campbell, a draper, and his wife. Five of Robert and Christina's six children were still living with their parents in 1901: Jane, a music teacher, Christina, Robert a chemist's apprentice, Thomas and Annie. James, a tailor's cutter, had married Lillie Clare Thomas earlier that year and were living in Morecombe, Lancashire. Robert Dickson died at his home at 1 Dalton Square in November 1908. His widow Christina and her daughters Jane, a teacher of music, and Annie, were still at the same address in 1911. Her son James, now a commercial traveller (tailoring), his wife and their two children were also living in Lancaster. Robert, Thomas and their sister Christina have not yet been traced on the 1911 Census, although Christina may have married and moved to Scotland. Thomas was living in Lancaster when he enlisted in 1914, but was probably no longer living in the family home. He named three siblings, James, Robert and Jane, of 21 Blades Street, Lancaster, as his next of kin. Christina Campbell completed a form for the army in 1919 listing her son's surviving blood relatives: she and her two unmarried daughters, Jane and Annie, were living at 21 Blades Street, Lancaster, her son James was still living in Lancaster and her married daughter Christina Tait(?) was living in Dumfries. The name of Thomas' older brother Robert was not included on the form. The later CWGC record gave his mother's address as Leonardgate, Lancaster. Christina died in 1931 (reg. Lancaster).
Thomas Campbell attested on 9 September 1914 at Sutton in Ashfield on a Short Service Engagement - three years with the Colours - later recorded as 'Duration of War'. He was 29 years old, occupation dental mechanic, and although no home address was recorded he had resided 'outside his father's house for more than three years.' He was posted to the Rifle Brigade Depot on 10 September and to the 10th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, on 20 September 1914. Thomas embarked at Folkestone on 21 July 1915. He was shot and killed while on sentry duty on 16 November 1915 and was buried in the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie, France (grave ref. II.A.6). Service record: Home 9 September 1914-21 July 1915 (316 days), France 22 July 1915-16 November 1915 (118 days). Total 424 days. He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard (extract): The graveyard is about 3km from the village of Laventie. Laventie is about 11km from the town of Armentieres. 'The Rue-du-Bacquerot runs south-east of Laventie, towards Fleurbaix; and the position of the road behind the British front line, during the greater part of the war, made it the natural line of a number of small British cemeteries. One of these was begun in November 1914, and used, at first, particularly by the 1st Royal Irish Rifles. The Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard was carried on by fighting units until July 1916; and these original burials are now in Plots I and II. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves (chiefly of 1914-15 and 1918) from the battlefields East of Estaires and Bethune and from certain smaller cemeteries [listed on website].' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Christina Campbell, of 112, St. Leonardgate, Lancaster, and the late R. D. Campbell.' Note: Lancaster War Memorial, Memorial Garden, Dalton Square, Lancaster: 'Campbell R. Campbell T. brothers'. Robert Campbell's name was not included on a form for the army completed in 1919 by Christina Campbell listing Thomas's surviving relatives, but Robert has not yet been identified on either CWGC records or registrations of deaths. Lancashire Evening Post, ‘Deaths,’ 18 November 1908: ‘Campbell. On the 17th inst., at Dalton-square, Lancaster. Robert Dickson Campbell, aged 62. Friends please accept this (the only) intimation.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Lancashire Evening Post, 25 November 1915: ‘Lancaster Roll of Honour. Mrs Campbell, 21, Blades-street, Lancaster, yesterday received intelligence that her third son, private Thomas Campbell, of the 10th Rifle Brigade, has been killed on sentry duty. She had the last news from him a week ago, and he was then well. His death was reported by another Lancastrian, J Hudson, of the 12th King’s Liverpool Regiment, who wrote: ‘He was killed while doing his duty on Tuesday, 16th, Nov. at 6.40. No doubt he would tell you that he had met me in the trenches, and it was his wish that if anything happened to him I was to write to his mother and tell her how it happened. He was on sentry duty, and a bullet hit him in the head and killed him outright, so he suffered no pain … Ever since I met him we had been together at every possible minute, seeing that he came from the same town. I knew him when he played for the Shop Assistants’ FC. I sympathise with you in your loss, for I am more than sorry as I have lost a good pal. All the boys in his section sympathise with you in your great loss. He was always careful in the trenches. He is laid to rest with the men of his regiment and the 11th Rifle Brigade.’ Deceased was 30 years of age and the youngest son of the late Mr RD Campbell. He was formerly in the service of Mr Cardwell, dentist, Lancaster. While at the Friends’ School he took an active part in cricket and football, and afterwards showed promise as a cricketer with the Lancaster CC. He played centre forward for the Lancaster Shop Assistants’ FC in the two seasons when they were runners-up and champions respectively of the Lancaster and District Wednesday League. He also played centre forward for the Lancaster Town AFC and for Penrith, and at three-quarter back for the Vale of Lune RUFC. He was a keen hockey player, and delighted in all forms of athletics.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Ethel Green was his sole legatee. Thomas enlisted in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. There is a War Office memo dated March 1916 in his service documents advising that his personal property and any medals he was granted, were to be returned to Miss Ethel Green, 25 Fairfield Road, Sutton in Ashfield. A later War Office memo dated August 1919, with the same instructions, gave Ethel Green's address as 34 Coxmoor Road, Sutton in Ashfield. His personal property comprised: 1 comb, 2 postcards, 1 cigarette case, 2 letters, 1 cap badge, 1 pair scissors, 1 (-), 1 (-). Ethel Green (b. 1886 Sutton in Ashfield) was probably the daughter of Matthew and Kate Green (née Kirkland). Ethel's father died in 1893 and her mother married secondly Lancelot Tipping Meads, a widower with children, in 1896. In 1911, Ethel, a hosiery machinist runner-on, was living on Fairfield Road, Sutton in Ashfield, with her mother, siblings, half-siblings and a step-sister.
