Thomas Ernest Underhill

Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church

Regiment: Royal Field Artillery

Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Driver 29448

Parents: Joseph and Louisa Underhill

Marital status: Single

Home address: Kington, Thornbury, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Haulier in a colliery

Date of birth: 1887

Place of birth: Thornbury, Bristol

Date of death: 01/11/1918

Buried/Commemorated at: Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade (Plot 6. Row F. Grave 5.), Italy

Age: 31

Further information:

Bronze Tablet and Wooden Memorial

Thomas Ernest Underhill was born in Thornbury, with his birth being registered in the September quarter of 1887. He was baptised at St Mary’s Church on 4th September, the son of labourer Joseph Underhill and his wife Louisa, who lived at Kington. He had at least four older brothers

By the time of the 1911 census Thomas was boarding in Gelligaer, Glamorgan, where he was working as a haulier in a colliery. His parents were still living at Kington where his father worked as a gardener. His father died in late 1915

Thomas enlisted at Bargoed in Monmouthshire in 22nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 7th Division. His medal card notes his qualifying date in France as 20th November 1915

The 7th Division took part in the Somme Offensive of 1916. In 1917 it was involved in the Arras offensive and various actions during the Third Battle of Ypres, including the Second Battle of Passchendaele. After this the Division was posted to Italy. The Italians had entered the war on the Allied side in May 1915. By late 1917, fighting the Austrians and the Germans, the Italians had fallen back to the Piave, and needed to be reinforced by Allied troops. In early 1918, Germany withdrew its troops to deploy them in its Spring Offensive on the Western Front. The British 7th Division was in the foothills of the Alps. The Austrians strongly attacked the Allied front line on the Asiago Plateau on 15th and 16th June but the assault was halted. The Division stayed in the hills and woods of the Asiago Plateau throughout the summer, making many successful raids on the Austrian trenches. 7th Division was sent to the Treviso area of the River Piave and on 23rd October 1918 the Allied offensive known as Passage of the Piave commenced. The Austrians were soon driven back and surrendered. The armistice came into effect on 4th November

At the time of his death Thomas was attached to the 22nd Brigade’s Headquarters. He died of influenza in the 9th Casualty Clearing Station on 1st November, just a few days before active hostilities ceased. The ‘Spanish Flu’ that would cause millions of deaths worldwide was already raging in Italy. Thomas was buried at Giavera British Cemetery with others who fell on the west of the river during the Passage of the Piave

Chosen by his family, the words ‘REST IN PEACE’ are inscribed on his headstone

Thomas Underhill’s medals and Memorial Plaque, also known as a Dead Man’s Penny, are preserved in the collection at Thornbury and District Museum

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Thornbury Roots Website. Thornbury and District Museum Research Group. Forces War Records and the CWGC