Name
Thomas Hyder
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/05/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3728
Royal Fusiliers
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAZEBROUCK COMMUNAL CEMETERY
2. C. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Ashwell Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Ashwell
Pre War
Thomas Hyder (known as Tom) was born in 1879 in Ashwell, Herts, the son of Thomas and Clarissa Hyder (nee Bonfield) and one of six children although one died in infancy. He was baptised at St Mary's, Ashwell, on 11 May 1879 and was educated at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Lime Kiln Hill, Ashwell, where his father was working as a brewery clerk. They remained there on both the 1891 and 1901 censuses. His father's occupation being recorded as brewer's traveller or brewer's collector. By 1911 he had moved from Ashwell and was a boarder at the home of Walter and Mary Luckhurst at 91 South Park Road, Wimbledon, Surrey, with his sister Jessie. Thomas was working as an ironmonger's assistant and his sister was an assistant teacher at a municipal elementary school.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Kilburn, London in September 1914 and joined the London Regiment (otherwise known as the Royal Fusiliers), serving with the 3rd Battalion in France from January 1915 as part of the 85th Brigade, 28th Division.
Thomas died of wounds on 13 May 1915 and is buried in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France. (N.B. From October 1914 to September 1917 casualty clearing stations were stationed at Hazebrouck)
Additional Information
His sister Jessie received a war gratuity of £3 and his father received pay owing of £5 9s 2d. His mother received a pension in respect of Thomas and his brother Albert who also served with the Royal Fusiliers and died of wounds on 23 February 1917. Her address was given as 7a Trinity Road, Wimbledon, Surrey (living with her daughter Jessie), she later lived at Flint Cottage, Ashwell, and died in December 1938.
His brother Eric served with the Hertfordshire Regiment, later transferring to the Leicestershire Regiment, and survived the war.
*1 (City of London) Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, www.ashwellmuseum.org.uk
