Revels, Thomas

Thomas was the fifth son of William and Emma (nee Waldock) Revels born at Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 14 August 1895. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Thomas enlisted with the Hertfordshire Regiment on 11 November 1916, Regimental Number 5939. He then transferred to the Princess Charlotte of Wales’s Royal Berkshire Regiment, Regimental Number 36437. Thomas saw active service in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders and in 1917 the Regiment moved to Italy to strengthen the Italian Resistance. It was here, on 40 September 1918, that Thomas received a shell wound to his right thigh and after convalescing was discharged from military service on 23 February 1919. He survived the War.

Thomas was awarded 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.

Before enlisting Thomas was a farm labourer.

Thomas married Ethel Gladys Loveday (nee Skerman) on 17 February 1920. They had four children, Kenneth Thomas born 1923, Stanley Alfred born 1925, Joyce Daphne born 1927 and Leslie William born 1936.

The 1939 census shows them living in Ashwell, with Thomas a builder’s labourer.

Thomas died at Ashwell on 24 February 1984 and is buried in the St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Ashwell, Hertfordshire.

Thomas’s brothers James and Percy also served in the War but both died in action, his brother George served and survived.