Also Served: Thomas Lowton - Thomas LOWTON
Paradise Lane, Whiston Private 3664, 5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment (Later Serjeant 241379)
Born in Whiston in 1896, Thomas Lowton was the eldest of four sons to James and Eliza Lowton of Whiston. Before the war, he worked as a Haulage Hand below ground at the colliery in Whiston.
Thomas attested to the army on 11th February 1915, signing on for four years with the 2/5th Bn of the South Lancashire Regiment. He was just under 20 years of age and noted his next of kin as his mother Eliza at the same address in Paradise Lane.
After training, he sailed for France on 28th June 1915.
Thomas was back in the UK on leave from 3rd March 1916 but was admitted to hospital and struck off the battalion strength for a period. He eventually left the UK on 12th August that year, when he returned to France. Sailing from Southampton to Rouen, he joined the 5th Battalion in the field on 21st August.
He was appointed to the unpaid rank of Lance Corporal on 22nd September 1917, this being changed to a paid role on 30th December that year, however on 25th January 1918 he was deprived of his stripes for being absent from parade. Despite this, he was later re-appointed to the Lance Corporal role before being promoted to Sergeant in the field on 27th October 1918.
He returned to the UK on 14th December 1918 was finally discharged at Shrewsbury on 7th January 1919. His medal entitlement was to the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and he received his medals in November 1921.
Thomas was also awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the field on 27th December 1918. The award was announced in the London Gazette of 23rd July 1919.
The London Gazette announcement of Thomas' Military Medal award
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