L/Cpl
Thomas Russell
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 15/05/1892 |
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Place of birth: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lance Corporal |
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Service number: 66126 |
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Enlistment place: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Machine Gun Corps, 200th Coy. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Somme - Hill 35 - Iberian, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 25 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 155 |
Distinctions and medals 1
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Lance Corporal Thomas Russell was part of the 200th Machine Gun Company, 59th Division which took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood on the 26 September 1917.
On the 22nd of September the company received orders to put 16 guns on the line in the night of 23rd/24th September, with an advanced headquarters at Jasper Farm. Between the 23rd and 24th of September new battery positions near Somme, Hill 35 and Iberian were scouted. On the 25th preparations were made for the attack the following day. The new battery emplacements were to be occupied that night and telephone communication was established between the new advanced headquarters at Pommern Castle and A, B and C-Battery.
On the 26th all batteries were subjected to heavy shelling. Officer casualties were heavy. Five other ranks were killed and 21 others were wounded. It’s unclear what happened to Lance Corporal Thomas Russell but he was missing in action after the battle. It’s highly likely that he was killed in the German artillery barrage. The notes in the War Diary are not clear on where Lance Corporal Russell was located, but its highly likely that he died near the gun emplacements east of Pommern Castle, on the line between Somme, Hill 35 and Iberian.
On the 22nd of September the company received orders to put 16 guns on the line in the night of 23rd/24th September, with an advanced headquarters at Jasper Farm. Between the 23rd and 24th of September new battery positions near Somme, Hill 35 and Iberian were scouted. On the 25th preparations were made for the attack the following day. The new battery emplacements were to be occupied that night and telephone communication was established between the new advanced headquarters at Pommern Castle and A, B and C-Battery.
On the 26th all batteries were subjected to heavy shelling. Officer casualties were heavy. Five other ranks were killed and 21 others were wounded. It’s unclear what happened to Lance Corporal Thomas Russell but he was missing in action after the battle. It’s highly likely that he was killed in the German artillery barrage. The notes in the War Diary are not clear on where Lance Corporal Russell was located, but its highly likely that he died near the gun emplacements east of Pommern Castle, on the line between Somme, Hill 35 and Iberian.
Sources 5
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
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Chris McCarthy, 'Passchendaele : The Day-by-Day' London: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, p. 96-97. Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/828465/russell,-thomas/ Sources used |
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Naval & Military Archive http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |