Pte 50020 Thomas Hollidge

• Age: 19
• From: London
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 18th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Thomas was born on 21st May 1898 in Greenwich, London the son of William Vitler Hollidge and his wife Lucy Ann (nee Kelly). He was baptised on 16th June 1898 at Christ Church, Greenwich, his parents' residence at the time Aldeburgh Street. His parents married in 1887; Thomas was the sixth of their seven children, and the youngest boy. His older siblings were William Thomas, Jane Alice, John Frank, Lucy Ann, and Rose (who died in infancy). He had a younger sister Emily Elizabeth Ada.

On the 1901 Census Thomas is aged 2, living at 19 Marlton Street, Greenwich.  His father, William, is a 34 year old joiner, whilst his mother, Lucy, is aged 30. Thomas has the following siblings listed as living at the property; William aged 13, Jane aged 11, John aged 9, Lucy aged 7 and two visitors Emily 18 and Thomas 17 Vielley. All members of the family were born in Greenwich, also recorded are visitors Emily and Thomas Kelly, both of whom were born in Greenwich.

By the time of the 1911 census the family have moved. Thomas is aged 12 and is living at 30 Riddlesdown Road, Purley, Croyden with his parents and three sisters. His father, William, is now a 44 year old carpenter, his mother Lucy Ann is aged 40. His sisters are shown as; Jane Alice, married name Harris, aged 21 and a domestic servant, Lucy Ann aged 17 and is also a domestic servant, and Emily Ada aged 7.

His mother, Lucy, died in the March quarter of 1912 aged 41.

His elder brother William had joined the Royal Navy and John the Royal Field Artillery.

Sadly, his sister Emily died in 1914, at the age of 10.

His father remarried on the 22nd June 1913 to widow Florence Sarah Williams at St Augustine's Church, Croydon.

Thomas enlisted in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey joining the East Surrey Regiment as Private 11752. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, he enlisted in about May 1916, when he would have turned 18 years old. 

At some point he was transferred to the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 50020. After shipping to France he was posted to the 19th Battalion K.L.R.,  most likely in February 1918 when the 20th Battalion was disbanded.

Thomas was killed in action on the 18^th April 1918, during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary entry for the day reveals that 10 Other Ranks were killed during heavy shelling of the area.  

18^th April

No aggressive action on either side. The activity being confined to artillery. The French had come up in great force and  assisted our artillery with the famous “75s”. The Battn came under heavy shell fire at one period. 10 O.R. being killed and 3 wounded.

The weather, which up to this time had been quite good, turned and snow, rain and hail fell.

Thomas was one of the 10 Other Ranks referrred to in the diary.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or his grave was subsequently destroyed as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. 

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Soldiers Effects including a War Gratuity of £7-10 to father William V., no pension record found.

His brothers both survived the war, William with the R.N. and John with the R.F.A.

Thomas has not been found on any U.K. memorial.

His father died in the December quarter of 1931, aged 63.

We currently have no further information on Thomas Hollidge, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.