Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

21 March - 4 July 1918. The Battles of the Somme in 1918 were mostly concerned with stemming the German advance which started in March 1918 and which made considerable gains in the Somme/Arras sector. Utilising surplus troops which had become available following the surrender of Russia after the October Revolution, the Germans gambled on a massive campaign that could win the war in the west before the USA could bring its resources to bear. Initial gains were in places spectacular but eventually dogged resistance coupled with supply problems and sheer exhaustion closed down the battle. Other attacks were launched along the front to probe the Allied defences but the same pattern of initial gains followed by stalemate prevailed. British casualties were almost 345,000.

Detail :

Mike; Steve Morse www.ypressalient.co.uk 18050 Pte Thomas Tilley - Born Linton, Derbyshire, enlisted Mansfield Notts, Abode - Kirkby in Ashfield Notts. Killed in action 18 June 1918. I do not have an enlistment date for him but would have thought it was 1914. He would have served with the Battalion on gallipoli, in Egypt, The Somme, Messines and 3rd Ypres. In November 1917 the battalion (part of 33rd Brigade, 11th Division) moved to the Loos/Lens area and spent a fairly quiet winter there. They then moved to Mazingarbe and a large number of men are buried in Philosophe Cem Mazingarbe. During the evening of 16th June 1918 'B' Company and one Officer plus 30 Other Ranks from 'C' Company joined the Battalion in the line at Mazingarbe. The raid would be between Posen Alley and Vendin Alley (Communications trenches). On 17th at 6pm elements of the 17th Brigade on the 9th Bn right carried out a raid with some success. At 7am on 18th, the Battalions raiding party went out. Th eventual make up of the raid was - Four officers and 130 ORs from 'B' Company and one officer and 30 ORs from 'C' Company. The officers were - Capt Warneford M.C., OC raid, 2/Lts Tourt, Kilner, Hudson and Parker. The raid was a success and resulted in the capture of seven prisoners and a Machine Gun. Two Officers and five OR's were killed. At 11.30 pm gas was projected onto the enemy as a result of this raid. The Co at the time wrote ' On June 18th a successful raid was carried out by 'B' Company with one officer and 30 other ranks from 'C' Company (5 officers and 160 other ranks all told) on the enemy trenches behind Posen crater, resulting in the capture of seven prisoners and one machine gun. A considerable number of casualties were also inflicted on the enemy.' There were at least 5 Gallantry awards for this raid. John Cotterill Pte Thomas B TILLEY (18050) 9th Bn KIA 18/6/18. From Kirkby-in-Ashfield in Nottinghamshire. TILLEY was one of seven men from the 9th Bn (2 Offrs and 5 ORs) who were killed in a daylight raid on enemy trenches near Loos on 18 Jun 1918. The raid was made by 5 Offrs and 160 ORs and was a success with seven prisoners and one MG being captured and a considerable number of casualties inflicted on the Germans. As well as 7 KIA the Bn lost 1 DOW and 10 WIA on the raid to bring the total cost to 18.

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley