Person

Thomas was the third son of ship riveter William Lodge Coulthard and his wife, Eleanor or Ellen Coulthard nee Hall, who had married in South Shields in 1870. By 1881 they were living in Cowpen, near Blyth and Thomas was one of a family of five; four boys and one girl Annie. Their father William died in 1889 and by 1891 they were sharing a house in Westoe with another family. Thomas married Virtue Miller Siddle of Shields at the end of 1896. By 1901 he was a commercial traveller and he and Virtue were living in South Shields.

At the time of the 1911 census Virtue is listed living by herself in South Shields, so, it can be assumed that Thomas had already left for Canada. In July the following year, Virtue and their four-year-old daughter, Gladys, left England to join him in Fort William, Ontario where he had found work as a cook. The three of them returned to England in May 1913 and Thomas returned to Canada by himself.

On 18 May 1915 in Port Arthur, Ontario Thomas enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) and became private A39180 of the 52nd Battalion. This did not last long as from 21 July 1915 he is listed as a deserter. However, just two weeks later he enlisted again at Camp Niagara, Ontario on 4 August 1915 although he had apparently shrunk in height from his first attestation. He became private 142081 and was posted to the 76th Battalion. In October 1915 he transferred to the 37th Battalion. His battalion embarked for England on the SS Lapland on 27 November 1915, arriving on 11 December. Based at Shorncliffe, Kent, it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until July 1916, when it was absorbed by the 39th Battalion.

In August Private 142081 was transferred to the 73rd Battalion as a reinforcement and at the end of the month found himself in France as part of the new Canadian 4th Division. Rotating between the front line and reserve brigade duties, the battalion saw action at the Battle for Ancre and it was just after this that Thomas Hall Coulthard was killed in action on 27 November 1916 in the Courcelette area. He is remembered on the Vimy Memorial. His wife Virtue remarried in 1921 and died in 1940.

Civil Parish: Jarrow

Birth date: 02-Sep-1875

Death date: 27-Nov-1916

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Jarrow (1875 birthplace)
15 Beaumont Street, Cowpen, Northumberland (1881 census)
48 William Street, Westoe, South Shields (1891 census)
39 Canterbury Street, South Shields (1901 census)
110 West Park Terrace, South Shields (1911 census)
Fort William, Ontario, Canada (ship’s manifest)

Religion: Church of England

Employment: Engineers’ steward (1891 census)
Drapery traveller (1901 census)
Cook (1915 enlistment papers)

Family: Parents: William Lodge Coulthard, Eleanor (Ellen) Coulthard nee Hall
Siblings: John Coulthard, William Coulthard, Annie Coulthard, Andrew Hall Coulthard
Spouse: Virtue Miller Coulthard nee Siddle

Military service:

A39180
Private
52nd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
Deserted
142081
Private
7th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
37th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
39th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force

Memorial(s): Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham