Name
Thomas Cain
1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7029
Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1st/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 6 A and 6 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Not on the Wheathampstead memorials
Pre War
Thomas Cain was born in 1896 in Wheathampstead, Herts, the son of Arthur Cain and Annie (nee Lawrence). He was one of thirteen children but three had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Piper Cottages, Wheathampstead, where his father was working as a shepherd on a farm. They had moved again by 1911 to Newcombe Street, Harpenden when his father was working as a jobbing gardener and Thomas was working as a Post Office messenger. Prior to enlistment he worked as a bleacher at Boreham Wood.
On enlistment he gave his address as 4 Newcombe Street, Harpenden, Herts (now Park Hill).
Wartime Service
He volunteered in April 1915 and initially enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 6797, later being transferred to 1st/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment as Private 4/7029. Reputedly he was a good shot and so qualified as a sniper. He served in France from 31 August 1916.
He was killed in action near Albert on 24 September 1916 but has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £2 18s 6d. His mother received a pension of 4 shillings a week, later rising to 5 shillings a week.
Brother Frederick served in Royal Horse Artillery, died of wounds on 1 October 1917 and is buried in Zuydcoote Military Cemetery, near Dunkirk, France.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk),
