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20288, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, 1st Battalion
The “UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919” list includes Thomas Isaacs, born Ossett, living in Batley and serving in WW1 in the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) with regimental service number 20288. Thomas Isaac died of his wounds on the 7th February 1917. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records the same information recording his name only as T. Issacs.
There are two medal cards for soldier 20288 KOSB. One is in the name of Thomas Isaac and the other in the name Thomas Isaac(s). Both Medal cards indicate that Thomas embarked for the Balkans on the 6th November 1915 and that he was awarded the 1914/5 Star, British and Victory medals. One medal card states “See T. Isaacs” and the other medal card indicates that his correct Surname is Isaac.
Thomas Isaac(s) is not remembered on any Ossett Memorial or Roll of Honour which, in the circumstances is not surprising. He is remembered in this 2014 biography and Roll of Honour because the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and/or the “U.K. Soldiers who Died in the Great War 1914-1919” listing records him as born or residing in Ossett.
That was our conclusion in 2014 and in the absence of any information to the contrary it was accepted that the otherwise reliable “UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919” were correct in recording Thomas Isaac as being born in Ossett (as were two of his brothers). It is now 2021 and I recall how Thomas set us a long and merry dance in the 2014 research to determine whether he should be remembered as an Ossett Fallen. Seven years on Peter Bennett of Dewsbury Sacrifices very kindly shared his research, gratefully received, about Thomas Isaac which has succeeded in identifying Thomas’s name and the complicated circumstances of his dysfunctional life.
It is now known that whilst two of his brothers are believed to have been born in Ossett in 1891 and 1898 Thomas Isaac was born in Bolton in 1895 and not as the “UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919” believed. It seems likely that Thomas’s army service record, destroyed in WW2, included his place of birth as Ossett. It is equally likely that Thomas told this to the recruiting officer at the time of his enlistment only because his mother had told him that he was born in Ossett. No other evidence has emerged to suggest that he lived in Ossett at any time and, whilst this is possible, there is uncertainty as to whether Thomas Isaac is an Ossett Fallen.
This, of course, does not in any way mean that he was any less of a brave and heroic man who lost his life whilst fighting for his country.
The following research and words about Thomas Isaac are by Peter Bennett;
“Thomas was born in Worsel Street, Bolton, Lancashire on 16th November 1895. His father was John Isaac, a coal miner born in Pandyisa, Denbighshire, Wales in 1858. His mother was Sarah (nee Smethurst) born in Farnworth near Bolton in 1857 and died in 1922. They were married in 1875 in Bolton. There were many spelling variations of the surname including Isaac, Issac and Issacs. No accurate death record has been found for John.
Their other children were; William, born in Farnworth in 1875, John Edward, born in Farnworth in 1878 and served in World War 1, Sarah Jane, born in Farnworth in 1880, Richard, born in Farnworth in 1882 and died in 1916, Hugh, born in Farnworth in 1884 and served in World War 1, Joseph, born in Farnworth in 1885, Ruth, born in Darcy Lever, Bolton in 1887 and died in 1919, Hannah, born in Great Lever, Bolton in 1889, James, born in Ossett in 1892 and served in World War 1, Fred, born in Ossett in 1898 and served in World War 1 and Harold Handley, born in Bolton in 1900. Hannah became known as Annie Isaac and was adopted by Samuel Wadsworth who was the publican at The Market House, Church Street, Dewsbury; on the 1901 Census she is listed as “adopted daughter”.
On the 1901 Census Sarah was living with three of her children; James, Fred and Harold in the Union Workhouse, Beech Towers, Dewsbury. She was married to Joseph Lever (born in 1845 and died in 1920) at St. John the Evangelist Church, Farnworth on 13th October 1906 (her surname is registered as Isaac). On the 1911 Census she was living at 60, Darley Street, Farnworth; Fred, Harold, John Edward and his wife Mary were also living there.
Thomas was a single man who according to the report of his death in the Dewsbury Reporter on 17th February 1917 was raised in the Cottage Homes on Healds Road and was educated at Dewsbury Moor Council School and later Eastborough Council School. He worked as a Piecer at Fenton’s Mill in Batley Carr. He lived with Joseph and Mary Ann Peaker of Back Lawson Street, Westtown. On the 1901 Census he is recorded as Thomas I Peaker (son) and on the 1911 Census as Thomas Isaac (boarder, but initially stated as adopted son which was then crossed out).
He enlisted in Dewsbury in August 1914 serving as Private 20288 in the 1st Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers. On 6th November 1915 after 10 weeks training in Scotland he was sent to fight in the Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli) where his battalion had suffered heavy losses throughout. On 8th January 1916 they were withdrawn and in April 1916 they were posted to the Western Front at Beaumont-Hamel in France where he was wounded in July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He died on 7th February 1917 in the 34th Casualty Clearing Station at Meaulte near Albert after being seriously wounded again. He was buried in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, Somme, France. Thomas was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His records spell his surname four different ways; Isaac, Isaac, Issac and Issacs. His headstone showed his surname as Issacs but was amended by the CWGC after they were made aware in June 2021.
Meaulte is a village just south of Albert. In September 1916, the 34th and 2nd/2nd London Casualty Clearing Stations were established at this point, known to the troops as Grove Town, to deal with casualties from the Somme battlefields. They were moved in April 1917 and, except for a few burials in August and September 1918, the cemetery was closed. Grove Town Cemetery contains 1,395 First World War burials.
Thomas is commemorated on the Dewsbury Cenotaph in Crow Nest Park and in the Dewsbury Roll of Honour kept in Dewsbury Central Library and on the Memorial Plaque in Eastborough Council School (his surname is spelt Isaac and his Regiment as the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry).”
Dewsbury Reporter 17th February 1917
The 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers were in Lucknow, India when war broke out in August 1914. As soon as a territorial unit arrived to take over the garrison, they departed for England, arriving on 28th December 1914 to join 87th Brigade, 29th Division at Rugby. They were training for France when orders arrived to prepare to depart for Gallipoli. They embarked from Avonmouth on 18th March 1915 sailing via Malta to Alexandria then on to Mudros in April. They landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli on 25th April 1915 and were involved in heavy fighting until the evacuation on the nights of the 7th and 8th of January 1916 when they returned to Egypt.
In March 1916, they were sent to France, sailing to Marseilles arriving on 18th March and travelling by train to concentrate in the area east of Pont Remy by the end of March. In July they went into action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were in action in The First, Second and Third Battle of the Scarpe during the Arras Offensive, then moved to Flanders and fought in the The Battle of Langemarck, The Battle of Broodseinde and The Battle of Poelcapelle. Before moving south for The Battle of Cambrai.
In the winter of 1916/17, 29th Division and the 1st Battalion KOSB were in the trenches of Sailly-Saillesel and Rancourt in the Somme area of France and during this time Private Isaac lost his life.
Above: The remains of Rancourt village in 1917.
Private Thomas Isaac died on the 7th February 1917. He is buried at grave reference II. N. 41. at the Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte,1 Somme, France.
CWGC heastone photograph courtesy of Mark Smith
References:
Our thanks to Peter Bennett of Dewsbury Sacrifices
