Thomas Henry Dye

A Private with the 2/4th Battalion, Thomas died on 11th of December 1917 at the age of 39. 

Thomas was born at Lowestoft in 1878, a son of Edward and Hannah Dye. In 1881 his family lived at 28 Mariners Street. By 1891 they were living at 26 Mariners Street. By 1900 the family home was at 17 Queens Road. 

Thomas was working as a labourer for Mr. Newrick, at Lowestoft, when he enlisted in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion Norfolk Regiment, at Lowestoft on 27 February 1900. He was embodied for service in South Africa on 12 April 1900 and disembodied on 11 April 1902. He was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal for his service in the Boer War. Thomas was discharged, time expired, on 26 February 1906. 

In late 1906 Thomas enlisted in the regular army at Grimsby. He joined the Lincolnshire Regiment, service number 7801. By 1911 Thomas had been transferred to the Army Reserve. The 1911 Census shows him lodging with George and Rebecca Quantrill, at 17 High Street, and working as a corporation labourer. Also shown on the census is Thomas’ five year old son. Later in 1911 Thomas married Annie Grieve: this was registered in the Mutford district. Later Annie, and children, lived at 45 Fraser Street, Grimsby.

It seems that Thomas was mobilized when the First World War began and he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, arriving in France with the battalion on 5 November 1914. Thomas became unwell and was evacuated to England via Hospital Ship Oxfordshire on 8 December 1914. Later Thomas was transferred to the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, service number 29490, and joined the 1st Garrison Battalion which served in Malta and then in Egypt. Subsequently he was transferred to The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), service number G/61686, and was posted to the 2/4th Battalion which served in Egypt and then Palestine. 

Thomas contracted malaria, while on active service, and died at 44 Stationary Hospital, Kantara, Egypt.