Hyder, Thomas

Thomas was born on 11 May 1879, the eldest son of Mr Thomas Silver Hyder and Mrs Cressida (nee Bonfield) Hyder of Kingsland Hill (Lime Kiln Hill), Ashwell. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Tom enlisted at Kilburn on 12 September 1914 and was a Private in the 3^rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), Regimental Number 3748. He served in the Western Europe Theatre of War, France and Flanders. He was killed in action on 13 May 1915.

Tom is buried at the Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France grave 2 C 11. He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour and the Ashwell War Memorial.

He was awarded the Victory Medal, the British War Medal and the 1914/15 Star.

Before enlisting Tom was an ironmonger’s assistant and living in Wimbledon, Surrey. He and his sister Jessie, an assistant teacher, were lodging with the Luckhurst family.

Tom’s brother Albert Cecil, who was also with the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), died of wounds on 23 February 1917. His brother Eric served with the Hertfordshire and Leicestershire Regiments and survived the war.