LANCE CORPORAL Mortimer THOMAS Service Number: 2217 King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) 1st/5th Bn. Died 09 June 1915 H. CE. 278.

Thomas was born in 18969 and in 1911 was a commercial motor agent, the census records him as born in the USA-actually New York.

He subsequently spent a good deal of time in London as a wine merchant and married in 1893. Divorced in 1906, he remarried in 1907.

He made his home in Blades st Lancaster, Enlisting in September 1914, he knocked 10 years off his age!

Mortimer went to France in February1915 with the rest of the 1/5th Kings own, was wounded near Ypres by shellfire in his right arm and leg and died of his wounds in London a few weeks later at the Royal Albert Hospital Woolwich.

His son, also Mortimer Cecil but known as Tim in the unit -was wounded by the same shell but survived. 

Tim was born in London in 1893. Tim was too ill to attend his father’s funeral, and his coffin was carried by 6 of his comrades who were wounded and at home recovering, and many members of the unit who could attended.

Tim was discharged in April 1916. He later lived in Maidstone Kent