Name
Thomas Frederick Howlett
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1915
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
13209
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
St Stephens Parish Memorial Tablet, Park Street, St Stephens Parish Memorial Obelisk, Park Street, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Frogmore Not on the St Albans memorials
Pre War
Thomas Frederick was born in 1894 in Potters Crouch End, St Albans to Emma Elizabeth Howlett). Emma and John Norwood, a railway plate layer, were married on 25 Dec 1897. On the 1901 Census Thomas and his mother Emma were living with John Norwood, Frederik W Norwood (born 1899). Louise Doris Norwood (born 1901) at Branch Road, Frogmore, Park Street. Also present was Amos Howlett (Emma’s brother, born 1879). On 1911 Census Thomas, now working as a garden boy was living at Park Street Lane, Park Street with his mother, step father John, Frederick W, Louise D, Hilda Norwood (born 1904), Cyril Norwood (born 1907) and Alfred (born 1910).
Wartime Service
No Service Record could be found for Thomas, he volunteered, sometime in the autumn of 1914, for the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 13209. Thomas went to France on 2 Feb 1915 to join 2nd Battalion in the field near Estaires. He may have taken part in the Battles Of Neuve Chapelle and Festubert. On the 25 Sep 1915 2nd Battalion attacked Gun Trench on the opening day of the Battles Loos. Under heavy fire they almost reached their objective but had to resist a counter attack by the enemy. During this period of the Battle (25 Sep 1 Oct 1915) the Bedfordshires lost 45 Killed, 40 Missing and 270 Wounded. Thomas was report killed on 25 Sep 1915, his remains were not recovered. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £2 10s and arrears of £6 19s 8d was paid to his mother Emma.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Gareth Hughes, Jonty Wild
