Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

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

Accidents were a minor factor in the casualty list. Our definition is deaths resulting from activities that were not directly associated with 'active service'. We have excluded Naval Accidents which are seperately identified because of their numbers and impact. Many accidents involved the aviators, operating at the the limits of technology.

Detail :

On 29 August 1914, he joined the 1/6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, as a private (service number 2181). He saw action at Gallipoli and was wounded in the shoulder on 9 June 1915. He was admitted to Citadel Hospital in Cairo and, on 3 July, invalided home on the Hospital Ship Leitia. On 30 September, he applied for a commission, which he obtained in November 1915. He joined the Cheshires on active service in May 1916 and on 19 July took part in a raid on the enemy trench for which he was awarded the Military Cross. The raid is described in the battalion's History: On July 19th, the Battalion in conjunction with the troops on each flank took part in an operation, which formed part of a bigger objective undertaken by the XI Corps. The raiding party was commanded by Captain R. Kirk, the left half being entrusted to 2nd Lieut. Casson. A report on the operation states that a pipe mine was blown up in Red Dragon Crater with success. Immediately after this the left raiding party, making a line between two smaller craters, arrived at the third crater. On arrival they found that the crater had been consolidated by the enemy on the near lip, and was occupied by about 12 to 15 of the enemy. There were also about five dugouts under the lip, and the crater was connected to the enemy front line by two saps going to the right and left. This party, under 2nd Lieut. Casson, at once occupied the saps and crater, killing about 4 or 5 of the enemy as they entered, by revolver and rifle fire, the bombers working their way round the dugouts, which were bombed plentifully. Two of the enemy came out of the last dugout and gave themselves up. Time did not permit of this party's doing more, owing to heavy fire from hostile trench mortars and rifles. It therefore returned with two prisoners, having sustained but very slight casualties. It is estimated that about 12 of the enemy were killed. The two prisoners were sent down under escort to Westminster Bridge, and handed over to an officer of the 118th Infantry Brigade Staff.

For this exploit 2nd Lieut. Casson was awarded the Military Cross. Tom's medal citation, published in the London Gazette reads For conspicuous gallantry when leading a raiding party into the enemy's trenches. About eight of the enemy were killed and two prisoners captured. The success is largely due to his fine leadership. In October 1916, he suffered from trench fever and was invalided home. He was admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester on 7 October. An Army Medical Board, on 24 October, recorded that About September 20 1916, he was taken ill with fever, pains especially in legs, headaches and general illness, but he continued on duty....Since then, three relapse have occurred. He is now free from pain and presents no sign of disease but headache persists and he is enfeebled. A further review by the Board, on 6 December, noted Since his last board, he has had a relapse of pyrexia which lasted from November 8th to November 15th. He is now convalescent but says he feels weak and his limbs ache and he has much insomnia. A final review Board pronounced him for duty on 15 January 1917 and, later in the month, he was appointed to the Brigade Bombing School at Oswestry. In March, he was part of the firing party at the funeral of Fred Utley who had been wounded in the above raid. On 17 May, a faulty grenade prematurely exploded killing Tom. He was buried with full military honours, the funeral being well attended by ex-colleagues, family and comrades. Three volleys were fired his grave and the Last Post was sounded.

RED DRAGON CRATER When you stand with your back to the 55th Division memorial and look across the road (at the bend) you will see a school/sports centre type building in front of you. This was made in the 1980s and the material dug out for the excavation of this building was used to fill in the Red Dragon Crater. Topsoil was then added so crops could be grown on the former site. There is just a slight dip now where this massive crater once was. Interestingly, it was this explosion that caused the collapse of the tunnel containing Sapper William Hackett and his working party. On of the finest and most awe inspiring VC's of the war. From the CWGC: An extract from The London Gazette, dated 4th Aug., 1916, records the following:-For most conspicuous bravery when entombed with four others in a gallery owing to the explosion of an enemy mine. After working for 20 hours, a hole was made through fallen earth and broken timber, and the outside party was met. Sapper Hackett helped three of the men through the hole and could easily have followed, but refused to leave the fourth, who had been seriously injured, saying, I am a tunneller, I must look after the others first. Meantime, the hole was getting smaller, yet he still refused to leave his injured comrade. Finally, the gallery collapsed, and though the rescue party worked desperately for four days the attempt to reach the two men failed. Sapper Hackett well knowing the nature of sliding earth, the chances against him, deliberately gave his life for his comrade. Source: John Hartley http://www.stockport1914-1918.co.uk/soldier.php?name_id=485

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