13106 Private Thomas Lewis
9th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Ystrad,Rhondda,Glamorgan,Wales in 1896.
His parents were Henry Lewis(1864-27/08/1938) and
Phoebe Gregory(1865-03/04/1913). They were married on 03/05/1886.
Thomas had 4 brothers; David James(1892-24/05/1915)
William Henry(1898-20/07/1916),James(born in 1901) and Samuel(1901-1960).
He also had 5 sisters; Sarah Ann(born in 1888),Elizabeth(Bessie(born in 1890)),Catherine(born in 1894),Harriet(born in 1901) and Ellery(born in 1905).
In the 1901(Wales)census ,the family were recorded as living at
33 Arthur Street Ystrad Rhondda,Glamorgan. Henry was employed as a colliery timber man underground.
In the 1911 census,the family had moved to 8 Bodringallt Terrace Ystrad Rhondda,Glamorgan. Both Henry and Thomas were working at coal miner hewers.
He enlisted in Tonypandy,Glamorgan and his date of disembarkation into France was on 27/07/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,
the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
2 of his brothers, David and William were also killed during the war.
David,serving as Private 36307 in 1st Battalion The Welsh Regiment, was killed in action on 24/05/1915. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres,Belgium. Panel 37.
William,serving as Private 5586 in 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh(Welch)Fusiliers ,died of his wounds on 20/07/1916. He is buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery ,Mametz,Somme,France. Reference I.A.5.