Private Thomas Orchard

Rank or Title

Date of Birth

1885

Date of Death

22 Aug 1918

War time / or Pre War occupation

Milkman

Employer

Family business

Service Number

6260

Place of Birth

Winterborne Whitechurch
United Kingdom

World War I Address

172 Wellington Street
Luton
United Kingdom

Place of Death

Belgium

Grave Location

Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery
Belgium

War Memorial Location

Soldier or Civilian

  • Soldier

Source

The Luton News , 3rd October 1918
Pte Thomas Orchard

Pte Thomas Orchard, 6260, 23th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was reported missing on August 20th, 1918, and later listed as killed in action on August 22nd. He was aged 33 and married with a daughter.

Widow Annie, living at 172 Wellington Street, Luton, with daughter Connie Freda (born 1909), was appealing for information on his whereabouts when Thomas's picture was published in The Luton News with little information about him.

Ancestry records show that Thomas was born in Winterborne Whitechurch, Dorset, in 1885, to Charles and Mary Orchard. By 1901 he was living in Luton with his uncle Hinsley Arthur Davis - his mother's brother – at 10 Castle Street. His uncle was a dairyman running his own business in which Thomas helped.

On April 16th, 1906, Thomas married Annie Matilda Syred at Christ Church, Luton, and they lived at 172 Wellington Street, Thomas continuing to work as a milkman.

The Commonweath War Graves Commission website gives the date of his death as August 22nd. Annie was given the date of August 20th, which she had included in the Book of Life compiled at Luton Parish Church and included in an in memorium notice printed in August 1919.

Thomas is also included on the Luton Roll of Honour and War Memorial.

Individual Location

Pte Thomas Orchard

Author: Deejaya

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