Date of birth: 26/07/1897

Place of birth: Toxteth, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 350208

Enlistment place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Units:  —  King's (Liverpool Regiment), 1/10th Bn. (Scottish)  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 25/07/1917

Place of death: Cavalry Farm - Cork Cottage, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 19

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Private James Percival Thomas was part of the 1/10th (Scottish) Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment, 166th Brigade, 55th West Lancashire Division. Around the 25th of July 1917, the day Private Thomas was killed, the 1/10th (Scottish) Battalion was located near Esquerdes in France. Nevertheless, his original grave (before concentration) was located between Cavalry Farm and Cork Cottage (I.10.A.6.5.), north of Hellfire Corner. The fact that he was buried in the same grave with 6 other men from the 7th Battalion Cameron Highlanders, marked by one cross, makes it possible that he was temporarily attached to this regiment. The 7th Battalion Cameron Highlanders were near this position at this time. The war diary of the 25th of July notes that patrols and work parties were sent out at night, but due to the location of his original grave it’s most likely that Private James Percival Thomas was killed by artillery fire while holding the line.

Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/446737/thomas,-/ Sources used

J.W. Sandilands and Norman MacLeod, The history of the 7th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, 1922, 90-91 Sources used

The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used

War Diary 1/10th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used

War Diary 7th Battalion Cameron Highlanders http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used