Thomas (Tommy) Palmer

Memorial: Kingswood Methodist Church

Regiment: Grenadier Guards

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Silver War Badge, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Corporal 11828

Parents: Henry George and Grace Palmer

Marital status: Married

Home address: Home address: Kingswood, Bristol. Lived: 45 Alexandra Road, East Croydon

Pre-war occupation: Bootmaker

Date of birth: 17/12/1884

Place of birth: Kingswood, Bristol

Date of death: 29/10/1918

Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Croydon (Mitcham Road) Cemetery, Surrey and commemorated on Kingswood Methodist Memorial

Age: 33

Further information:

Tommy was born in Kingswood, the son of a miner and the youngest of three brothers. Tommy married May Caroline Carter who was from Kensington, London in 1908 whilst living in Yate and they moved to live in Surrey. They had two sons born in 1909 and 1911.

Thomas’s battalion (the 1st) landed at Zeebrugge, Belgium on 7th October 1914 as part of the 20th Brigade, 7th Division. Tommy was wounded in action during the allied Spring Offensive (10 December 1914 - 17 March 1915) and was awarded a wound stripe on 15th December 1914. His battalion joined the 3rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division in August 1915 and served with them for the rest of the war. Tommy would have seen action in the Battle of Loos, the Battles of the Somme, Third Battle of Ypres and the Second Battle of Arras, amongst the many engagements. Tommy became ill with influenza and bronchopneumonia whilst on active service and was sent back home where he died in Holborn Military Hospital Mitcham, Surrey (a converted former workhouse).

Note: Tommy is incorrectly on CWGC as 5th Battalion, which was a home-based unit.

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

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/grenadier-guards-ww1