Geboortedatum: 15/04/1882

Geboorteplaats: Market Harborough, Leicestershire, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Beroep: Spoorwegarbeider

Land: Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Strijdmacht: British Expeditionary Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 27568

Dienstneming datum: 24/08/1916

Dienstneming plaats: Kettering, Northamptonshire, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Eenheden:  —  Northamptonshire Regiment, 2nd Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 16/08/1917

Plaats van overlijden: North Station Buildings, België

Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Leeftijd: 35

British War Medal Medaille — 09/06/1920

Victory Medal Medaille — 09/06/1920

Thomas William Bamford was born in 1882 and was the eldest son of Jesse and Isabella Bamford, of Raunds, Northamptonshire. According to the 1911 census, Thomas worked as a leather pressman in the Kettering Shoe & Boot Industry. His wife Alice Sarah Ann, whom he married in 1907, was employed in the same Boot Factory, where they both made boots for the British Army. However by the time Thomas enlisted he was working as a Signal Fitter for the Midland Railway company.

Thomas joined up in august 1916 and served in the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, part of the 24th Brigade, of the 8th Division. The Division participated in the Battle of Passchendaele and on 16 August 1917 it attacked German positions between the Ypres-Roulers railroad and the Westhoek- Zonnebeke road. The advance was carried by the 23rd and 25th Infantry Brigades; the 24th Infantry Brigade, with the 2nd Northamptonshires was in Divisional reserve and remained on the Westhoek Ridge.
Initially the attack went well and the 23rd and 25th Brigades captured their final objective at Iron Cross Redoubt. However the Divisions on their left and right flank had been held up by stiff German resistance. With their flanks up in the air, both Brigades were in danger of being cut of and were forced to withdraw to the Hanebeek stream. To help and secure the new line the 2nd Northamptonshires moved up into support at Jaffa trench. At 4.45 p.m. the German artillery put down a heavy barrage on Westhoek Ridge and Jaffa Trench. Two German counter-attack were checked with assistance of the 2nd Battalion, and both the positions at Jaffa Trench and in the Hanebeek valley were maintained by the men of the 8th Division.

Private Thomas William Bamford was killed in action on 16 August 1917. The 35-year old was possibly mortally wounded, due to the German shell fire, on Jaffa Trench and Westhoek Ridge. He was initially buried at the former Station Buildings, north of the railroad. Thomas’ remains were exhumed after the war and were interred in Tyne Cot Cemetery. Thomas William Bamford left a wife and four children.

2 Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1722/3). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Verdere verwijzing

Raunds War Memorial https://www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/Villages/obituaries/bamfordTW1917rau.html Gebruikte bronnen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461814

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=6d95f61e-d68f-450a-a7c2-1eece9551c27

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/226557