Rfn
Thomas Henry Bloxham
Information about birth
|
Year of birth: 1896 |
|
Place of birth: Normanton on Soar, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Profession: Brickyard Labourer |
Army information
|
Country: Ireland, United Kingdom |
|
Force: British Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Rifleman |
|
Service number: 43152 |
|
Enlistment place: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom |
|
Units: — Royal Irish Rifles, 13th Bn. (1st County Down) (Last known unit) — Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 11th Bn. |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
|
Place of death: Somme Farm, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 21 |
Memorial
|
Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 138 |
Distinctions and medals 3
|
1914-15 Star Medal |
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Rifleman Thomas Henry Bloxham served in the Royal Irish Rifles, 13th Battalion, part of the 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division. The Division participated in the Battle of Langemarck (16th – 18th August 1917). Prior to serving with the Royal Irish Rifles, he served with the 11th Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regiment and served in Gallipoli (service number 263849).
The 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles moved into the frontline on the 15th of August. It was to attack the next day. The 36th (Ulster) Division took up position just South of the village of Sint-Juliaan. It would advance with two brigades. The 109th Brigade on the left of the Divisional front and the 108th on the right. The 16th (Irish) Division was on the right of the 108th Brigade. The Battalions of the 108th Brigade who would take part in the attack were: the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers and the 13th Royal Irish Rifles; the 12th Royal Irish Rifles were in support and the 11th Royal Irish Rifles were in reserve.
At zero hour, 4.45 a.m., the Battalion moved forward behind a creeping barrage. But the Battalion could not keep up with the barrage, due to the boggy state of the ground, which was honeycombed with water-logged shell holes and flooded remnants of trenches. Without the proper cover the leading waves came under heavy machinegun- and rifle fire coming from pill-boxes, near the German strongpoint at Somme. Nevertheless the men soon passed Somme, but the platoon detailed to capture and clear the strongpoint failed to do so and was checked at a line running from D.19.a.90.80 to D.13.c.10.40. “A” Company on the right flank strafed too far to the right, as they couldn’t cross the wire, which the barrage had failed to destroy. “B” Company on the left flank immediately suffered heavy casualties reaching C.18.d.85.00 on the left of the Divisional front.
Troops in support and those in reserve were sent forward to reinforce the attack. However the reinforcements also failed to continue the push forward. Their advance was checked on the right by heavy machinegun fire coming from Gallipoli, Hindu Cottage and Aisne House. On the left they were held up by gun fire from Pond Farm and Hindu Cottage. One hour after the attack had commenced the Battalion saw no other option than to retreat to their jump-off line. The men were rallied and reinforced by men of the Battalion headquarters and together they tried once more to take Somme. However also this final attempt was dispersed by the relentless German crossfire and the men fell back to their starting point. The 108th Brigade’s Battalions were now scattered and intermixed along their original jump-off line. Officers reorganized the men and started consolidating the line, with the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers on the right, the 12th Royal Irish Rifles next, then the 13th Royal Irish Rifles and the 11th Royal Irish Rifles on the Left. The 108th Brigade was relieved by the 107th Brigade on the next day.
The attack had been a total disaster. The two Irish Divisions made almost no noticeable progress and had suffered heavy casualties. No further attacks were launched by the 36th (Ulster) Division on August the 16th.
Rifleman Rifleman Thomas Henry Bloxham was killed in action during the first day of the Battle of Langemarck. The 21-year-old was killed in action during the 13th Royal Irish Rifles attack on the German strongpoint of Somme. He has no known grave and is remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial.
The 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles moved into the frontline on the 15th of August. It was to attack the next day. The 36th (Ulster) Division took up position just South of the village of Sint-Juliaan. It would advance with two brigades. The 109th Brigade on the left of the Divisional front and the 108th on the right. The 16th (Irish) Division was on the right of the 108th Brigade. The Battalions of the 108th Brigade who would take part in the attack were: the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers and the 13th Royal Irish Rifles; the 12th Royal Irish Rifles were in support and the 11th Royal Irish Rifles were in reserve.
At zero hour, 4.45 a.m., the Battalion moved forward behind a creeping barrage. But the Battalion could not keep up with the barrage, due to the boggy state of the ground, which was honeycombed with water-logged shell holes and flooded remnants of trenches. Without the proper cover the leading waves came under heavy machinegun- and rifle fire coming from pill-boxes, near the German strongpoint at Somme. Nevertheless the men soon passed Somme, but the platoon detailed to capture and clear the strongpoint failed to do so and was checked at a line running from D.19.a.90.80 to D.13.c.10.40. “A” Company on the right flank strafed too far to the right, as they couldn’t cross the wire, which the barrage had failed to destroy. “B” Company on the left flank immediately suffered heavy casualties reaching C.18.d.85.00 on the left of the Divisional front.
Troops in support and those in reserve were sent forward to reinforce the attack. However the reinforcements also failed to continue the push forward. Their advance was checked on the right by heavy machinegun fire coming from Gallipoli, Hindu Cottage and Aisne House. On the left they were held up by gun fire from Pond Farm and Hindu Cottage. One hour after the attack had commenced the Battalion saw no other option than to retreat to their jump-off line. The men were rallied and reinforced by men of the Battalion headquarters and together they tried once more to take Somme. However also this final attempt was dispersed by the relentless German crossfire and the men fell back to their starting point. The 108th Brigade’s Battalions were now scattered and intermixed along their original jump-off line. Officers reorganized the men and started consolidating the line, with the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers on the right, the 12th Royal Irish Rifles next, then the 13th Royal Irish Rifles and the 11th Royal Irish Rifles on the Left. The 108th Brigade was relieved by the 107th Brigade on the next day.
The attack had been a total disaster. The two Irish Divisions made almost no noticeable progress and had suffered heavy casualties. No further attacks were launched by the 36th (Ulster) Division on August the 16th.
Rifleman Rifleman Thomas Henry Bloxham was killed in action during the first day of the Battle of Langemarck. The 21-year-old was killed in action during the 13th Royal Irish Rifles attack on the German strongpoint of Somme. He has no known grave and is remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 2
|
13 Battalion Royal Irish Rifles , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2506/3). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
|
McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 52-55. Sources used |
More information 2
|
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/845252 |
|
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=43859624-05b8-4dd7-91aa-2c68ad9a0f69 |