Subject

Bus driver at the Chalk Farm bus garage. In the London Regiment of the Royal Fusiliers and killed at the battle of Passchendaele.

Andrew Behan has researched this man and provides the following information:
Born about 1876 in Clerkenwell, London. His father was also called Joseph James Thomas and he was a cabman. He married Eliza Elizabeth Edwards on the 22nd October 1899 at St. Matthew's Parish Church, City Road Islington and at the time was living at 56 Lever Street, Islington. He gave his occupation as a Press Hand. They had one son, Frederick George Thomas, born on the 11th November 1902. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) at St Pancras, London and had two service numbers, 8220 and 203912. He was posted to the 2nd/4th Battalion London Regiment and was Killed in Action on the 26th October 1917, aged 41 years. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panels 148 to 150 at the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West Flanders, Belgium. His widow was living at the time at 23 Ferdinard Place, Ferdinard Street, Chalk Farm. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

We are very grateful to Andrew for this information - it shows why his grand-daughters remember the plaque so well - it was in the street where their grandmother lived.