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Thomas Venn (1875-1915)


Durham Light Infantry


Born in 1875 in Willington, Thomas Venn joined the 2nd Volunteer Battalion DLI in April 1900 and transferred to the 6th Battalion DLI in April 1908, when the Volunteers became Territorials. In August 1914, Sergeant Venn was working as a coal miner and living with his wife, Ellen, and their eight children in Willington. With the outbreak of war, the Durham Territorials were embodied and began long months of training to prepare them for active service overseas.

As part of the 50th Division, 6 DLI landed at Boulogne on 19 April 1915 but, with little time to prepare for the front line, was sent into Belgium on 23 April to join the fighting raging east of Ypres. On 26 April, ‘B’ Company 6 DLI, including Sergeant Venn, was ordered to attack and hold a trench under heavy enemy rifle and artillery fire. During the fighting, a shell exploded in the trench killing Sergeant Venn and seven other soldiers.

Thomas Venn was the first Willington soldier to be killed in the First World War. After the battle, his body was never recovered. His name, however, is carved on the Menin Gate at Ypres, which bears the names of the 54,000 soldiers, who died in the years of fighting around the town and who have no known grave. Back home in Willington, his widow, Ellen, was given a weekly pension of 34 shillings for her and her children, the youngest of whom had only been born in March 1914.

Where to look for more information about this person:

His medals are in the DLI Collection. https://www.dur.ac.uk/library/asc/dlimedals/

http://dlimuseum.durham.gov.uk/pgFullBiography.aspx?BioId=18595&BioSurname=Venn&AZ=Y

Commonwealth War Graves Commission: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1627434/VENN,%20THOMAS

North East War Memorials Project:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9183

http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9182

http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1231&displayorder=2201

Civil Parish: Willington

Birth date: 1875

Death date: 26 Apr 1915

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 24 Catherine Street, Willington, County Durham.

Employment: Coal miner.

Family: Wife, Ellen Venn, and eight children.

Military service:

April 1900 - April 1908: 2nd Volunteer Battalion DLI.
April 1908: 6/308 Private 6th Battalion DLI.
Appointed Corporal 1908, Lance Sergeant 1910, Sergeant June 1914.
Awarded Territorial Efficiency Medal, April 1913.

Medal(s): 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Territorial Efficiency Medal.

Memorial(s): Menin Gate, Ypres.
Memorial Cross, Willington.
Plaque, St Stephen’s Church, Low Willington.

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham County Record Office

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