WW1 Casualty: Sapper 20129 Thomas Sedgewick Preston - Sapper 20129 Thomas Sedgewick Preston
| Unit/Regiment |
Royal Engineers |
| Date of Death |
22/04/1920 |
Age at Death |
35 |
| Burial/Memorial |
Prescot Churchyard |
| Census Details |
1901 Census
Living at 5, Eccleston Street, was Mary Preston, a 49 year old widowed Dressmaker and her children Mary (25, a Dressmaker's Assistant), Joseph (24, a Banker's Clerk), Louisa (21, a Telephone Operator), Margaret (20, a Pupil Teacher), Henry (18, an Electrical Cable Tester), Thomas (16, an Electrical Switch Maker's Apprentice) and Robert (12).
1911 Census -
Having joined the Royal Engineers in 1910, Thomas was based at Epinstone Barracks in Plymouth. His recorded occupation was "Electrician" |
| Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations |
Birth Registered Q1/1885, Prescot, Volume 8b, Page 723
Death Registered Q2/1920, Prescot, Volume 8b, Page 800 |
| Notes |
Prescot Grammar School, 1898 onwards
|
| Research Ref. No. |
P231 |
Service DetailsThomas Sedgewick Preston was born in Prescot in 1885, the son of Thomas and Mary (nee Park). He originally joined the army on 18th May 1910, signing on for three years service followed by 9 years in the reserve. After his three years service, he transferred from full time service to the reserve on 18th May 1913. Around this time, he married Lavinia Benfield in Cornwall.
He then rejoined the army on 4th August 1914, the day war was declared, giving his occupation as Telephone Mechanic. His last employer had been GPO in Holloway, North London. He appears to have remained in the UK until November 1917, when he was posted to Salonika.
He contracted Malaria while on active service in Salonika in 1917.
He was granted 21 days leave to the UK in December 1918, and whilst that leave was in effect he was instructed to remain in the UK pending demobilisation.
Thomas was transferred to the reserve on 31st March 1919. At the time, he gave his address as 16, East View, Warrington Road, Prescot.
Thomas was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His discharge papers reported that he had served in Salonika as an Instrument Repairer and that he had been suffering from Malaria since June 1917, caused by the climate. His character was classed as Exemplary. He was honest, sober, clean and reliable and an excellent instrument repairer.
On December 30th of that year, he was awarded a pension of 8/- per week due to his illness. The Medical Board concluded that he was suffering a 20% disability due to the effects of Malaria. He was suffering from a palpable spleen but displayed no other signs of malaria.
Thomas Prestons Medal Index Card
Thomas's service is commemorated on the Grammar School Roll of Honour
Thomas Sedgwick Preston died on 22nd April 1920. He was buried in St Mary's Churchyard on 26th April.
His address at the time of his death was recorded as Lund Leigh, Eccleston Park, Prescot.
The National probate entry for Thomas Preston
His wife, Lavinia, never remarried. She returned to the South Coast and died in Portsmouth in 1988, aged 96.
Thomas is not commemorated by CWGC. I have been unable to locate his grave in St Mary's Churchyard
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