Thomas William Geddes (1891-1918)
From Burnhope, served with the Royal Naval Division, killed in action 1918.
Thomas William Geddes was born on 4 January 1891 in Fencehouses. His father was David Geddes (1851-1920), a general labourer, who was born in Scotland. His mother was Priscilla Geddes nee Cummins (1853-1929) from Sunderland. His parents married in Houghton-le-Spring in 1874. They had nine children of whom six survived infancy. Thomas had three sisters and two brothers.
In 1891 the Geddes family lived in Mary Street, Dubmire. At the 1901 census ten years later they had moved to New Pavilion Terrace, Burnhope. A further ten years on at the 1911 census Thomas was living with his parents, a sister and a brother at 33 West Wood Row, Burnhope. He was working as a coal miner in Burnhope Colliery.
On 4 June 1915, Thomas’ brother, Able Seaman Robert Geddes, was killed in action serving with the Anson Battalion at Gallipoli. Three days later, on 7 June 1915, Thomas also enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, though the news of his brother’s death had, probably, not yet reached the family home in Burnhope.
After training, TZ/5183 Able Seaman Thomas Geddes was drafted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) on 5 October 1915 and served in the Nelson Battalion of the Royal Naval Division until 28 February 1916.
Serving in France, he was transferred to the Anson Battalion on 17 April 1916 and was with them until 11 July 1916 when he was discharged to Base Depot, Etaples, France, medically unfit with cellulitis of the neck and suspected lupus. He rejoined his battalion on 26 November 1916 after hospital treatment in France.
On 24 February 1917 Thomas was admitted to hospital with inflammation of connective tissue of his right big toe. He was invalided to the UK where he remained until he rejoined his battalion in France on 7 April 1918.
In early August 1918, the Anson Battalion joined the Allied “Advance to Victory”. This was a series of battles fought in Picardy and Artois during the last months of the war that pushed the German Army eastwards. On 21 August 1918, Thomas was killed in action and has no known grave. He is honoured on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Harcourt, France which commemorates 9,847 allied officers and men who were killed in these battles and who have no known grave.
Thomas is well-remembered in Burnhope. He appears on the Garden Memorial in the village and on the Book of Remembrance and Plaque to the fallen at St John the Evangelist Church, Holmside Lane. He also appears in the Roll of Honour of men who worked at the Ritson Burnhope Colliery.
Thomas William Geddes was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in the First World War.
For more information:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1742679/geddes,-thomas-william/
North East War Memorials Project
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6480
Civil Parish: Lanchester
Birth date: 04-Jan-1891
Death date: 21-Aug-1918
Armed force/civilian: Navy
Residence: Mary Street, Dubmire, Houghton-le-Spring (1891 census)
New Pavilion Terrace, Burnhope (1901 census)
33 West Wood Row, Burnhope (1911 census & enlistment papers)
6 West Stone Row, Burnhope (1918 absent voters list)
Religion: Church of England
Employment: Coal miner – hewer (1911 census)
Family: Parents: David Geddes (1851-1920), Priscilla Geddes nee Cummins (1853-1929)
Siblings: John Geddes (1877), Jane Geddes (1879), Mary Geddes (1882), Robert Geddes (1888), Priscilla Geddes (1894)
Military service:
TZ/5183 Able Seaman, Royal Naval Division
Nelson Battalion October 1915 to March 1916
Anson Battalion April 1916 to August 1918
Medal(s): 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Vis-en-Artois Memorial to the Missing, Harcourt, Nord Pas-de-Calais, France
Garden 1914-19, Burnhope
Book of Remembrance 1914-18,St John the Evangelist, Holmside Lane, Burnhope
Plaque 1914-18,St John the Evangelist, Holmside Lane, Burnhope
Roll of Honour 1914-18, Ritson Burnhope and Pontop Collieries
Electoral Register:
Register No: 413
Forename: Thomas William
Surname: Geddes
Parliamentary Division: Barnard Castle
Polling District: B - Burnhope
Parish: Lanchester
Date: October-1918
Reference: October-1918
Gender: Male
Contributed by David Donkin. | With additional research by Burnhope War Memorial Research Group & Durham County Record Office.
