Name
Thomas Walden Bracey
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/05/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
614260
London Regiment *1
2nd/19th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
JERUSALEM MEMORIAL
Panels 47 to 53.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Central Methodist Church Memorial, Letchworth, St Mary's Church Memorial, Graveley
Pre War
Thomas Walden Bracey was born in 1897 (baptised 25 Jul 1897) in Gravely to Thomas Bracey, labourer, and Laura Kate (nee Walden).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents and Thomas W were living at Pond Side, Gravely.
Thomas W’s father, who was much older than his wife, died in 1904.
On the 1911 Census Thomas W and his widowed mother were living at 76, Ridge Road, Letchworth, there was also recorded two Boarders – Stewart Prater (born 1891, motor tester) and Joseph Blacklock (born 1894, apprentice engineer).
His mother, Laura Kate Bracey, later lived at 38, Gubyon Avenue, Herne Hill, London.
Wartime Service
Thomas enlisted in the London Regiment as a Territorial Soldier (no Service Record was found for him) and was embodied (subject to Service abroad) as Private 8455 in the 19th (County of London) Battalion (St Pancras).
He went to Salonika on 5 Feb 17 to join his Battalion in 180 Brigade, 60th (2/2nd London) Division in the Field, taking part in the Battles of Doiran (24-25 Apr & 8-9 May). On 9 Jun 17 the Division left Salonika for Egypt arriving on 12 Jun 1917 to join the Palestine Force and fight at the Battles of Gaza (30 Oct-7 Nov), Capture of Sheria (6 Nov), Capture of Jerusalem(8-9 Nov) and defence of Jerusalem (26-30 Dec).
In 1918 the Division fought at the Battles of Jericho (19-21 Feb) and were with the 1st & 2nd Trans Jordan Raids and attack on Amman (2 Apr-4 May). During this period of action Thomas was killed on 2 May 1918, his remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity og £8 and arrears of £16 8 s 11d was paid to his mother.
Thomas is also commemorated on the family headstone in At Mary's Church Cemetery, Goff's Oak. His part of the inscription reads:
Also of
THOMAS WALDEN BRACE
THOMAS WALDEN BRACE
WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN PALESTINE IN THE GREAT WAR, 1914 - 1918
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Louise Fryer, Jonty Wild
