Name
Thomas James Couzens
10 Sep 1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1915
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
S/849
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 12 and 14.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials, The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment-WW1 Book Of Remembrance. Canterbury, Kent
Pre War
Thomas James Couzens was born on 10 Sep 1882 (baptised 5 Apr 1885, St Andrew, Lambeth) in Lambeth to Jesse Couzens,milk carrier , and Emma (nee Arlott).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Jesse H (born 1881), Thomas James, Albert (born 1885), Phyllis E (born 1887) and Mabel (born 1889) were living at 71, Dalyell Street, Lambeth, Surrey. Also present were Richard Couzens (Thomas’s Uncle) and William Lowe (a relative).
Thomas enlisted in the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) as Private 6275 on 10 Mar 1900, He was posted to the Prov Battalion on 8 Jul 1900 and into the 2nd Battalion on 31 Aug 1901 serving in South Africa until 20 Mar 1902 before being posted to 1st Battalion serving in India, Burma from 23 Apr 1903, India from 12 Dec 1903, Aden to 8 Dec 1904 before returning to UK on 9 Dec 1904. On 9 Mar 1908 he was placed on Army Reserve and was discharged from this duty on 9 Mar 1912 having completed his vaalterm of 8 years plus 4 on reserve and gaining Queens South Africa Medal (clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal, Kings Medal (1901-1902).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Jesse H (milk carrier)Albert (assistant clerk), Phyllis, Mabel, Ada E (born 1895) and Beatrice E (born 1904) were living at Dalyell Street, Lambeth.
On the 1911 Census Thomas was a milk carrier and living with his family of parents, Jesse H, Albert, Florence Maud, Ada, Beatrice (born 1901), and Arthur (born 1904) at 10, Chapel Street, Woolwich, Kent.
Wartime Service
Thomas attested on 28 Oct 1914 as SR/894 Private in the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and he was posted to 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on 5 Nov 1914. On 6 Mar 1915 he was posted to active service with 2nd Battalion. This Battalion had been serving in Madras, India until recalled to UK arriving in Dec 1914.
The re-equipped the Battalion went to France landing at Le Havre on 6-9 Jan 1915 and moved to Ypres. Thomas went to join them at Ypres on 6 Mar 1915 taking part in the 2nd Battles of Ypres taking part in The Battle of Gravenstafel (22-23 Apr) and St Julien (24 Apr-4 May). Thomas was killed on 3rd May 1915 during this last action , his remains were not recovered and he is remembered in the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
