Private Thomas William Hamlyn
12th (Service) Battalion (East Anglian), Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action
Date of Birth: 1899
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 9 April 1918 in France, aged 18.
Buried: Remembered on Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium; Seafront Memorial and St. James' Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth, Devon.
Awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Private Thomas William Hamlyn age 18.
Born 1899 in Teignmouth, Devon, son of Thomas and Emma Hamlyn of West Teignmouth, he was shown living with his parents and siblings at 26 Bitton Hill in 1901 and 1911 census.
His father was a hardwood merchant of Bitton Hill, and he was one of 4 brothers all serving with the army; only one of whom survived the war. He was shown on the absent voters' list for 1918 at Bitton Street.
Suffolk Regiment
Cap Badge
Thomas previously served with Suffolk Regiment, service number 34119. He had been wounded eight times and whilst recovering from his most recent wound had been given the chance to be invalided out, but refused.
Thomas was serving with 12th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, service number 42578, involved in intense fighting as part of the German Spring Offensive, when he was killed on 9 April 1918.
He was posted as missing from that date for over a year.
Remembered on Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium; Seafront Memorial and St. James' Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth.
"Mr N Mrs Hamlyn had news their third son is missing, went to France a day or so after big German push. Had one field card but nothing more.Already lost two sons." 10 June - Teignmouth Post
The Hamlyn Brothers
Henry Thomas Hamlyn died in France the 1st July 1916 aged 23.
Holroyd Edward Hamlyn died in France on the 16 September 1917 aged 22.
Thomas William Hamlyn died in France on 9 April 1918 aged 18.
The Hamlyn's surviving son, Sidney Hector, served in WW1, he also served in WW2 and was on active service in North Africa in 1942 when his wife and two daughters were killed by enemy action in Teignmouth on 31 July 1942.
When Thomas died, the 12th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment were fighting in the Battle of Estaires in Northern France (9–11 April), this was a part of the Battle of the Lys (The Spring Offensive).
Battle of Estaires. British troops blinded by tear gas near Bethune, 10 April 1918. By Thomas Keith Aitkin © IWM (Q 11586)
