TOPIC:

Any further information on James Thomas, Grenadier Guards, and his brother, Henry John Thomas, South Wales Borderers?

"An inquiry into the cause of death of James Thomas was held at the George Inn, St. Briavel's, on Saturday by the Forest of Dean deputy-coroner (Mr. J. W. Guise). The evidence was that the deceased, who was a widower, 34 years of age, resided at Cold Harbour. In July last he returned home after having seen two years' active service with the Grenadier Guards in South Africa. Since that time he had drunk heavily, spending most of his time in public-houses. On the 30th of September he and another man spent the greater portion of the day in this way, and about 8.30 he returned home. He asked his sister for some cartridges, and on being told they were upstairs he fetched them down. He put them in a double-barrelled gun and left the house. In a few minutes, having the report of the gun, the sister, her cousin, and brother went out into a field at the rear and found the man lying on his side, dead. Brains and blood were scattered around. Both cartridges were discharged, and the gun lay between his knees, the muzzle being close to his throat. Henry John Thomas, a brother, who was one of the witnesses, returned from South Africa only on Friday, the 26th of September, having served in the South Wales Borderers. The verdict was that death was due to self-inflicted gunshot wounds, the deceased at the time being of unsound mind."

The Weekly Mail, Saturday 11th October 1902

Berenice
I had a look through my CD of GG (WO100/163) and the only J.Thomas I could find was in 2GG; "4745 Pte. J.Thomas" QSA clasps CC/OFS/Tv. Some times it was a bit hard deciding which was "J" and which was "I" or something similar. 2GG arrived in SA early April, 1900.
In any case, who knows what the poor fellow saw on active service or what mental state he was in after his return home. Being a widower would have made things doubly hard. No PTSD in those days. (Nor a lot later, either).
Regards
IL.

Hello

Henry James Thomas - L-Cpl 4760 SWB. No mention of family on service papers.

Can't locate any service papers for James Thomas, Grenadier Guards. #4745 identified by IL seems the best candidate as he earned a KSA, other J Thomas in the regiment died on service or did not serve two years.

Regards
Meurig

I joined this site (thank you) because of this thread. A distant cousin was 6268 Sgt Henry John Thomas MM of the Grenadier Guards. He hailed from Wiltshire. Now I am aware that ‘John Thomas’ is a common name but he was there, in the Guards, and had a clasp for Transvaal, Cape Colony, and Wittenbergen. Does this help with this story? Is there a chance it was James who was in the other unit since (my) Sgt Henry was in the Guards? (My) Henry did not have a brother called James.

Hi WickenFen. I've just looked up James Thomas' death registration, in the Chepstow district (which included St Briavels). There's a record of his death, aged 34.
There's a birth registration of a James Thomas, born in the Chepstow district, in the third quarter of 1868, mother's maiden name was Hulin. Then there's a Henry John Thomas, born in the first quarter of 1871, again in the Chepstow registration district, and again with his mother's maiden name being Hulin. Do you have Hulins in your family tree?

Thank you for your efforts, much appreciated.

No, none of those elements tie in with my relative.

I am hunting for Sgt HJ Thomas’ records and original medals. The records were destroyed in the Second World War and the medals……?