184987 Staff Sergeant Thomas Middleton Hulme, Royal Engineers
- Amanda T
- May 26, 2020
- 7 min read
Identification
The CWGC database had 14 possible results for Thomas or T Hulme but no record of a Thomas M Hulme. I looked through the individual certificates and found that under the 'other information' 2 of the men were from Liverpool. Both of these possibilities looked like unusual stories as one died at home aged 18 (probably during training) and the other died in France in 1919.
Next I checked the UK Soldiers Died in the Great War, there was a record for the 18-year old Thomas Hulme but no record for the other man and no mention of a middle name.
Next I checked the census records on Ancestry.co.uk and found both men. The older Thomas Hulme had the middle name 'Middleton' so I am happy that he is the correct man, the younger man had no middle name.
Family Information
Thomas Middleton Hulme was born at ten past nine in the morning on 27th October 1881. He was baptised on 12th March 1882 at St Clements Church, Toxteth Park. The baptism record shows that his parents were William and Jane, they lived at 19 Eversley Street and William's occupation was coachman. Eversley Street runs off Princes Avenue, Toxteth, close to St James’ Church.
The 1891 census shows the family were still living at 19 Eversley Street. The family consisted of William and Jane with their two sons and two daughters; Morris Henry aged 17 and working as a clerk, Gertrude Jane aged 12, Thomas M aged 9 and Sarah Agnes aged 7. William was working as a Coachman Groom, the census also shows us that William was born in Fenton, Staffordshire and Jane in Bolton, Lancashire but their children were all born in Liverpool.
The 1901 census record shows that the family were still at 19 Eversley Street. The father William Hulme was working as a ‘motor man’, also at home were mother Jane and their children Maurice aged 27 (Morris in the previous census) who was working as a ship owner’s clerk, Gertrude aged 22 was a postal clerk, Thomas aged 19 was an apprentice electrical engineer and Sarah was aged 17.
It seems that the children were all educated well to get these sorts of jobs.
On 27th September 1909 Thomas Middleton Hulme married Jane Ashley in St Philemon’s Church, Toxteth Park. Thomas was 27 years old and an electrician, his father’s occupation is given as motor man. Jane Ashley was 225 and her father was deceased but his occupation had been engineer. The addresses of Thomas and Jane were 12 Violet St and 33 Violet St respectively.
By the time of the 1911 census Thomas and Jane were living at 11 Herondale Road, in Mossley Hill. Thomas was an electrician working for Liverpool Corporation. They had no children.
Military Information
Thomas Hulme’s medal card shows that he was in the Royal Engineers with the regimental number 184987, the King's (Liverpool Regiment) regimental number 20134 and the R.D.C. (Royal Defence Corps) regimental number 25874. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Fortunately, Thomas's service papers have survived, albeit somewhat damaged.
His attestation paper shows that at the outbreak of war Thomas was in the national reserve, having previously served with the 2nd King’s Liverpool Regiment. Men in the national reserve had no further obligation for military service in 1914 so he would not have been embodied in August with the army reserve.
Despite being 32 years old and married with children, and having no obligation to serve, Thomas Middleton volunteered for the Territorial Force on 9th September 1914 at 17 St Anne St, Liverpool. He was examined and declared medically fit for ‘service as a local guard in the Territorial Force’. He was embodied immediately into a supernumerary company of the King’s Liverpool Regiment with the regimental number 25874. At first, supernumerary companies were used for guarding railway lines in the UK and other home defence tasks, but it wasn’t long before any of their men of Class A fitness were moved to service battalions.
21st July 1916
Thomas was transferred to the Royal Engineers in St Mary’s Barracks, Chatham. He was classed as a ‘proficient’ electrician and held the rank of sapper. The ‘proficient’ rating would have come with extra pay.
24th September 1916
Thomas Hulme was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps. Sometime in late 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Engineers training centre in Deganwy, North Wales and given the regimental number 184987.
13th October 1916
Thomas Hulme’s medical examination showed him to be 5 feet 4 inches tall and 137 lbs. His physical development was fair and his eyesight good. He had defective teeth but was passed fit for general service.
24th April 1917
Thomas Hulme joined the British Expeditionary Force in France.
10th May 1917
He joined his unit from the R.E. base depot in France.
5th April 1918
Thomas was classed as a ‘skilled’ electrician, having previously been classed as ‘proficient’ this came with a pay rise.
28th May 1918
Admitted to the 12th General Hospital and discharged on 22nd July 1918.
24th July 1918
He was classed as B1 at Rouen. Army classification B1 means that he was ‘free from serious organic disease, able to stand service on lines of communication, or in garrisons in the tropics’ and was ‘able to march 5 miles, see to shoot with glasses and hear well.’ He was returned to the Royal Engineers’ Base Depot and didn’t rejoin a unit until 8th November 1918.
19th August 1918
Promoted to temporary M.M. (Military Machinist) Electrician Staff Sergeant which came with pay of 5s/3d per day and transferred to work with the Director of Works, British Expeditionary Force.
2nd December 1918
Thomas had 14 days leave to the U.K.
3rd March 1919
7 days leave in France.
26th May 1919
Died in France.
The pension form shows his marriage to Jane and their children:
Maurice Hulme born 6.9.1912
Hilda Hulme born 19.11.1913
Death and Commemoration
Thomas Hulme was killed in an accident in France on 29th May 1919. His file contains a partial report of the enquiry into his death, the papers are damaged and were typed on a machine without the letter t (!) but I have transcribed as much as possible and used ??? to show where sections were missing.
7th Witness
No WR/254291 Cpl E.A. king R.E.
On 26-5-19 I was yard foreman at blargies eng. Then the train was offered me by the French on the telephone. ??it and set the points for No 2 triage when about 80 yds from the crossover the engine driver whistled for permission to enter the yard this I gave and he answered by another whistle. At the time he was practically at a standstill. I then walked down the yard with my back to the engine ??ing for the train to enter. The signal that I gave the driver aferrs only to the yard itself, it bears no reference to the level crossings the only instructions of which I am aware as regards level crossings are that drivers shall whistle and keep a sharp lookout. It is a recognised thing that no man shall enter a yard at a rate above 5 miles per hour.
8th witness
No 32979 Mech,Staff Sgt C. Murphy R.E. states:-
I gave the deceased his first lesson on a motor cycle one month ago. After taking him out several times I formed the opinion that he would never make an efficient rider. The day on which the deceased met his death was the first occasion on which he had been out alone. He was too nervous to make a successful rider. When I have been with him myself he has had some very narrow escapes due to nervousness and lack of experience.
9th witness
H.T. Waterridge R.O.D. R.E. states:-
That the Baldwin Westinghouse Air brake with which engine No.1540 is fitted will act within one second after the lever has been pulled into the emergency position. It is a generally understood rule that ???ing the speed shall not exceed 8 miles per hour. It is a written rule that drivers shall open their whistle on approaching a level crossing.
The order board which is hung in the traffic sentry’s box was produced. The orders distinctly state that the red flag provided shall be used to control vehicular traffic. A statement marked “A” from C.R.E. Abancourt Area to the effect that No.184987 Staff Sgt Hulme, R.E. was on duty at the time of the accident is attached. The court having considered the evidence is conjunction with the above ?? of the opinion that:
i. No 40852 Pte E.Watkins was on his post.
ii. He warned the deceased of the approach of the train by raising his hand.
iii. He was not displaying a red flag contrary to written orders to this effect. Had he done so it is considered that he would have impressed the deceased more and he would automatically have indicated to the engine driver the proximity of traffic, to this extent he was negligent.
iv. No. WR202575 Spr J Lampars opened his whistle before approaching the level crossing.
v. Was with No. WR291342 Spr Wilson keeping a lookout both sides of the line.
vi. ??? levelling at 4 to 5 MPH
vii. ??? to blame
viii. ??? Staff Sgt Hulme was on duty.
ix. ??? with authority.
x. ??? experienced rider and was not sufficiently ??? sentry’s warning to stop at the line he first ???? have changed his mind and decided he could cross in front of the engine.
xi. He did not approach the crossing at an excessive speed for an experienced driver.
The court are of the general opinion that the traffic sentry No.40852 Pte V.E. Watkins is open to censure as shown above. That the driver and firemen of engine N.1540 respectively No. WR202575 Spr J Lampard and N.T.W.R. 291342 Pte P Wilson were conscious of their responsibilities.
That No. 184987 Staff Sgt J Hulme R.E. met his death accidentally on duty whilst riding a M.O.D. motorcycle the lack of judgement he displayed being the result of nervousness and small experience.
G. Macleod Ross, Major R.E. president
R. Wansbrough Capt R Batt C.L.C. and J.A. Langford R.A.S.C. members
I concur with the opinion of the court that S.Sgt J Hulme R.E. met his death by accident whilst on duty and that he and he alone is to blame in disregarding the signal of the traffic sentry to stop. I do not consider the traffic sentry to blame as the deceased apparently acknowledged the warning of the traffic sentry by slowing down somewhat before he changed his mind and decided to “chance it.”
(sd) N.B. Pearson, Cologne, Bat Commandant.
B.H.W. Dieppe 6-6-19
From this information we can deduce that Thomas was riding a motorcycle and tried to beat a train across a level crossing, he was hit by the train and died. Further notes on his file show that he died from ‘compound fracture of skull and left leg’.
The records show that his widow Jane was eligible for a widow’s pension and she would also have received money for their children. Thomas’s effects and war gratuity amounted to almost £50 which was paid in 1919 and 1920 to Jane.
As he was still in service Thomas was eligible for commemoration by the CWGC even though he died in 1919. He was buried in Blargies Communal Cemetery Extension in the town of Blargies, France. Jane chose the words “He is not dead, He is just away.” to be added to the headstone.
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