Gentle, Thomas

Thomas was born on 19 October 1892 at Caldecote, fifth son of James and Emily (nee Hull) at Caldecote, Hertfordshire. He was a pupil of the Merchant Taylors School.

Thomas enlisted with the Bedfordshire Reserves on 30 December 1912. He was called up on mobilisation and joined the 1^st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was sent to France on 13 May 1915. He received a shrapnel wound to his shoulder in 1916 and after spending some time in a hospital in Newcastle was discharged from the army on 23 February 1917.

He was awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, and the Silver War Badge.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

The 1911 census shows him working as a farm labourer.

Thomas married Florence Watson on 27 October 1923. They had one daughter, Jean Antoinette Mary, born on 3 January 1926.

The 1939 census shows them living at Baldock, Hertfordshire with Thomas a motor driver mechanic.

Thomas died at Baldock on 27 June 1969.

Thomas’s brother, Arthur George was gassed and then died from wounds sustained in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle on 16 July 1916.