{"id":1743,"date":"2013-09-29T15:41:21","date_gmt":"2013-09-29T15:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/?page_id=1743"},"modified":"2025-01-27T11:43:22","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T11:43:22","slug":"thomas-sidney-wathes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/thomas-sidney-wathes\/","title":{"rendered":"Thomas Sidney Wathes"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-1743\" data-postid=\"1743\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-1743 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_52f8a42 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_edc102e first\">\n                    <!-- module box -->\n<div  class=\"module module-box tb_nmpj910 \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    <div class=\"module-box-content ui  tb_default_color\">\n                <div class=\"tb_text_wrap\"><h2><strong>Key Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Name:\u00a0<\/strong>Thomas Sidney Wathes<br><strong>DoB:<\/strong>\u00a0November 2 1887<br><strong>Regt<\/strong>: Capt., Royal Warwickshire Regt.<br><strong>DoD<\/strong>: Killed in action at Fromellis, (sic) July 19 1916. Commemorated at Ploegsteert Memorial but now believed to be one of those buried in the new cemetery at Fromelles<br><strong>Academic Career<\/strong>: CGS\u00a01904- 1906. B. Wadham Coll., Oxford, 1906; B.A. (4th Class Mod. Hist.), 1909. \u00a0 son of late C. W. Wathes, care of Mrs. Wathes, Mancetter, West Hill, Kings Norton.<\/p><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module box -->\n        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_2amy788 last\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_zv7r338 image-top   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"693\" height=\"586\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/wathes.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-689\" title=\"wathes\" alt=\"wathes\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/wathes.jpg 693w, https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/wathes-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/wathes-630x532.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_6262a48 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_3f17cf6 first\">\n                    <!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_7d8c33b \" data-behavior=\"accordion\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    <h3 class=\"module-title\">Biographical Information<\/h3>\n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li class=\"builder-accordion-active\">\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-7d8c33b-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-7d8c33b-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n                                                            Family Background                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-7d8c33b-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-7d8c33b-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"accordion-content tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_yo3i114\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_y9ip114 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_vjmq114   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>Thomas was the fourth child of Charles Weetman Wathes, a dairyman from Leicestershire, and Caroline, from Warwick. He had older brothers Arthur and Charles, an older sister Margaret and younger brother John. All the children were born in Birmingham. Thomas\u2019 father died in 1904 and in 1911 Thomas and brothers Charles and John were still at home in King\u2019s Norton, Worcestershire, with Charles an engineer and John Watson an engineer\u2019s apprentice. Thomas himself was working as a dairyman\u2019s assistant.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas had married Doris (n\u00e9eCollins) on 4 June 1913, and a son, Richard Sidney was born 10 August 1915. At the time of Thomas\u2019 death the home address was Highfield Road, Moseley, Birmingham. In 1919 she was at Mayfield Road. He left \u00a3140 5s in his estate. Soon after Thomas\u2019s death Doris\u2019s brother wrote to the War Office on her behalf asking for his pay.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-7d8c33b-1\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-7d8c33b-1-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Academic Record                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-7d8c33b-1-content\" data-id=\"acc-7d8c33b-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_esgh114\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_vukw115 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_b94j115   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>Carlisle Grammar School\u00a01904- 1906. B. Wadham Coll., Oxford, 1906; B.A. (4th Class Mod. Hist.), 1909.<\/p>\n<p>The Old Carliol, which regularly reported from Oxbridge on former students, said this in the December 1908 magazine: \u201c<em>Wathes, at Wadham, spends his leisure hours reading History on the river toggering (sic). He recently made a startling appearance at the Jesus Smoker and may be the cause of the disappearance of several name plates. But stop \u2013 not a word!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-7d8c33b-2\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-7d8c33b-2-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            War Service                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-7d8c33b-2-content\" data-id=\"acc-7d8c33b-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_d4ba115\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_dadv115 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_0py0115   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>Captain 2<sup>nd<\/sup>\/6<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. In the War Diary it is written: \u201c<em>The men started to file out through the sally ports for the offensive on WICK SALIENT and formed four lines in NO MAN\u2019S LAND\u2026immediately they(?) left the trenches the enemy shelled very heavily with the result that in a very short time all the officers had been killed or wounded\u2026two platoons reached the enemy\u2019s parapet but owing to the heavy losses caused and the casualties among the officers the attack was unable to advance\u2026Meanwhile D Company moved 2 platoons into the front line successfully. The position was reported to Brigade HQ &amp; orders received that the attack would be continued. Telephone communication with the front line now broke down but in spite of the heavy fire was quickly resolved. Immediately after orders were received that the attack would be postponed\u2026and the survivors would be withdrawn under cover of a barrage by our artillery on the WICK. At 7.10 the barrage started and all who could returned to the trenches. The attack was now postponed till 9.0 pm and later orders were received that the attack would be abandoned. At 9.45 orders were received that the 2\/8th WARWICKS could relieve the Battalion and by 1am (?)the relief was complete with the exception of part of D Company who remained to bring in as many of the wounded as possible\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The conduct of all ranks throughout the whole action was most excellent, orders being cheerfully carried out without the slightest hesitation under the most trying conditions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Casualties sustained during action fought on 19.7.16 \u2013 officers killed Capt W SIMMS \u2013 missing\u2026Capt TS WATHES\u2026Other ranks killed 9, missing 68, wounded 154\u2026\u201d<\/em>\u00a0.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-7d8c33b-3\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-7d8c33b-3-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Battalion                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-7d8c33b-3-content\" data-id=\"acc-7d8c33b-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_acq6115\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_bz5v115 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_0o6b115   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>\u201c<em>The battle began 19 days after the opening of the Somme campaign being fought eighty kilometres to the south, and was a complete failure militarily. Described as the worst 24 hours in Australia\u2019s entire history, the assault also drastically reduced the strength and effectiveness of the British formation already impacted by lack of equipment and training.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Comprising the 182nd (2nd Warwickshire) Brigade, the 183rd (2nd Gloucester and Worcester) Brigade and the 184th (2nd South Midland) Brigade, the 61st British Division never fully recovered from its losses at Fleurbaix, although was reformed and deployed in such actions at the Battle of Langemarck in 1917 and the Battle of St. Quentin in 1918.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REGARDLESS OF THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE COMPETENCY OF BRITISH COMMAND AT FROMELLES AND THE CONFUSION SURROUNDING THE DECISION TO CANCEL THE ATTACK, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE VOLUNTEERS FROM WARWICKSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, WORCESTERSHIRE, BERKSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND THE OTHER PLACES IN GREAT BRITAIN FROM WHICH THE 61ST DIVISION WAS DRAWN DURING THIS PERIOD, WERE RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED AND UNTRIED UNLIKE MANY OF THE 5TH DIVISION AIF WHO HAD HAD THEIR METTLE TESTED AT GALLIPOLI<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taken from the website Missing Soldiers of Fromelles Discussion Group<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-7d8c33b-4\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-7d8c33b-4-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Other                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-7d8c33b-4-content\" data-id=\"acc-7d8c33b-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_klpm115\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_etm7115 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_zkxr115   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>\u201c<em>The disastrous attack at Fromelles on the night of 19 July 1916, the first engagement undertaken by the Australian 5th Division on the Western Front, also proved to be the most costly.\u00a0 By the time the action was called off the next morning, the Australians had lost 5,533 men killed, wounded and missing.\u00a0 Casualties for the British 61st Division, who attacked alongside the Australians, numbered 1,547.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The Commission\u2019s records suggest that between 19 and 21 July 1916 the Australian dead at Fromelles amounted to 1,780, the British 503.\u00a0 Many of those killed in the engagement could not be accounted for at the time. Historians have long speculated that up to 400 of the missing dead were recovered by the Germans in the days following the attack and buried behind their lines.\u00a0 Painstaking research led to the possible identification of several mass burial pits on the edge of Pheasant Wood near Fromelles.\u00a0 In May 2008 the Australian Government asked the Commission to oversee a limited excavation to establish whether or not the pits contained remains. The three week dig found conclusive evidence that substantial numbers of Australian and British soldiers had been buried in five of the eight pits identified.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>In May 2009 work to recover the dead for individual reburial in a new military cemetery at Fromelles began.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taken from peterbmillzz on RootsChat website<\/p>\n<p>The Military Records of 1919 concerning deceased officers from the National Archives reveal that Thomas\u2019 body had not been recovered.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-7d8c33b-5\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-7d8c33b-5-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Sources                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-7d8c33b-5-content\" data-id=\"acc-7d8c33b-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_wie5115\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_wgxz115 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_ooi7115   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>a)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carlisle School Memorial Register 1264-1924<\/p>\n<p>b)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Census: 1911\u00a0<i>RG14<\/i>;\u00a0Piece:\u00a0<i>17858<\/i>;\u00a01891\u00a0<i>RG12<\/i>;\u00a0Piece:\u00a0<i>2378<\/i>;<\/p>\n<p>c)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CWGC<\/p>\n<p>d)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Missing Soldiers of Fromelles Discussion Group on the Internet<\/p>\n<p>e)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 RootsChat<\/p>\n<p>f)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Records from the National Archives<\/p>\n<p>g)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Old Carliol<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 Key Information Name:\u00a0Thomas Sidney Wathes DoB:\u00a0November 2 1887 Regt: Capt., Royal Warwickshire Regt. DoD: Killed in action at Fromellis, (sic) July 19 1916. Commemorated at Ploegsteert Memorial but now believed to be one of those buried in the new cemetery at Fromelles Academic Career: CGS\u00a01904- 1906. B. Wadham Coll., Oxford, 1906; B.A. (4th Class [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":33,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1743","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1743"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5305,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1743\/revisions\/5305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}