Private 13308 Thomas Stringer

Died of Wounds on Friday, 23rd October 1914, age 22.
Buried in Grave III. D. 19. at Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas De Calais, France.

3rd Bn., Worcestershire Regiment. 7th Brigade of 3rd Division.

Son of John and Elizabeth Stringer, of 12, Britannia St., Tividale, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Dudley, Resident: Tividale.

First landed France & Flanders, 12th August 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/167214/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
12 Britannia Street, Tividale, Tipton, Staffs.
John Stringer (39, Puddler, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (37, born Tipton), and their 5 children: John (12, born Tipton), Joseph (10, born Tipton), Thomas (8, born Tipton), Priscilla (4, born Rowley Regis), and Ernest (1, born Rowley Regis).

1911 Census
12 Britannia Street, Tividale, Tipton, Staffs.
John Stringer (48, Puddler, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (47, born Tipton), and 6 of their 9 surviving children of 10: John E. (22, Carter in Brewery, born Tipton), Thomas (18, Labourer in Steel Works, born Tipton), Priscilla (13, born Rowley Regis), Ernest (11, School, born Rowley Regis), Anne E. (8, born Rowley Regis), and Mabel (3, born Rowley Regis).

Personal Data

After Thomas' death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £5/17/4d (5 pounds, 17 shillings and 4 pence); this was paid to his father, John, in April 1915. His War Gratuity was £5/0/0d (5 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in June 1919. We know that Thomas was a serving soldier at the outbreak of war, his Soldier's Effects papers record that he had enlisted in Tipton on 25th March 1913 and had been previously employed as a Hoe Grinder.

Action resulting in his death

The 3rd Worcesters landed in France on 16th August and were sent to Mons. Here the overwhelming numerical superiority of the German army made a general withdrawal inevitable. As the British front-line began to retreat from Mons on the 23rd August, the 3rd Worcesters at Ciply became the most advanced unit. The 'Retreat from Mons' continued for over 200 miles to the River Marne, with holding actions at Caudry and Le Cateau.

By 5th September the German army had outrun their supply columns and could not with withstand the French assault at the Marne. The Germans were now driven back to the Aisne where they dug in on the high ground, forcing the British and French to dig their own protective trenches. This was the start of the trench network of the Western Front.

In a succession of sweeping westward manoeuvres, both sides attempted to outflank the other and encircle the open western flank. This became known as the “Race to the Sea”.

In early October the British Expeditionary Force moved from the Aisne to French Flanders. The 3rd Worcesters travelled by train to Abbeville and then partly by bus to Bethune. Here they advanced eastwards past Neuve Chapelle towards La Bassée where they took part in the Battle of La Bassée.

After capturing Richebourg St. Vaast, the Worcesters advanced 2 miles beyond Neuve Chapelle where they resisted numerous German counter-attacks over a number of days. German numerical advantage made a retirement inevitable, and this was done overnight on 21st/22nd October back to a line west of Neuve Chapelle, supposedly into reserve.

At 09.30 on 22nd October they were ordered back to the front line to support a Cheshires battalion who had failed to retire in time, this was near Violaines, between Neuve Chapelle and La Bassée. The Worcesters were unable to make an attack and so held their position all day until ordered back after dark that evening. On the 23rd they held their new trenches under constant sniping and shell-fire.

Thomas Stringer died from his wounds on 23rd October at No. 14 Field Ambulance at Le Hamel, near Chocques. We cannot be sure when Thomas was wounded but over 1,000 men of II Corps (to which the Worcesters belonged) were wounded on 21st October, so that date is a possibility. Thomas is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald 27th February 1915
TIVIDALE MEN AT THE FRONT.
Tividale, that tiny portion of Rowley Regis which joins Dudley and Tipton, has given no fewer than60 men for the colours in the neighbourhood of Britannia Street and Chapel Street, young men have gone from almost every other house, and in several cases two brothers have gone from the same family.
Two have already given their lives for their country, namely Pte. F. Marklew, of the Cameronians, who reside in Chapel Street, and Pte. T. Stringer, of the 3rd Worcesters. Marklew's brother, Thomas, is also in the Worcesters, and has been for 17 weeks in a French hospital, having been badly wounded.