Name
Thomas Martin Blaber
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/10/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23182
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
138th Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WARLENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
III. K. 4
France
Headstone Inscription
PEACE PERFECT PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter’s Church Plaque, Berkhamsted, University of London Student Record War List 1914-1918, Royal Grammar School WW1 Memorial, Guildford, Surrey, Normandy War Memorial Cross, Surrey, St Mark's Church Memorial, Wyke, Surrey
Pre War
Thomas Martin Blaber was born in Jevington, Sussex in 1890, the son of James and Dinah Blaber, and baptised on 27 July 1890 at Jevington, Sussex.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at School House, Jevington, where his father was the 'Certificated Teacher' and his mother is also listed as 'Teacher'. They had moved to Ash, Surrey by 1901 at which time they were living at Pirbright Road. His father was described as a schoolmaster elementary and his mother as assistant schoolmistress. Thomas had then been joined by sisters Winnie and Florrie and they employed a general servant to assist with domestic work.
He attended the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, Surrey from 1902 to 1908, followed by the University of London.
The family remained in Surrey in 1911 and were then living at 'Ringwood', Normandy, Ash. Thomas was then a tutor at Clarke's College and his sister Winnie and his father were both working for the County Council as elementary school teachers. Prior to enlistment he was an assistant master at Victoria Boys’ School.
His parents later lived at The Cottage, Saunders Lane, Wayford (possibly Watford) and Seacombe, Eastwood, Westcliffe on Sea, Essex.
Wartime Service
Thomas enlisted in Camberwell, Surrey and initially served with the 21st London Regiment as Private 2716, later transferring to the 47th (London) Division of the 142nd Machine Gun Corps as Private 23182 and later with the 138th MGC. He served in France from 15 March 1915 and would have taken part in the Capture of High Wood, action on the Starfish Line. Flers Trench and Drop Alley in September, followed by the Capture of Eaucourt-l-Abbaye and attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt at the beginning of October.
Some records suggest he was serving as Lance Corporal when he was killed in action on 8 October 1916, aged 26, while fetching wounded men lying between the lines, and is buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £4 11s 8d. Pension cards exist but no pension amount is recorded.
N.B. the medal card date of 17.9.16 as date of death appears does not correspond with CWGC.
The connection of this soldier with Berkhamsted is not known.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jo Bayley, https://somme-roll-of-honour/Units/british/MGCoys/142nd_MG_Coy.htm,, https://livesofthefirstworldwar,iwm.org.uk, www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk
