Private. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 29463.

Early life:

Thomas was born on 19th November 1897 in Keighley and his birth was registered in the last quarter of the year. His parents were Daniel Brady and Mary Brady née Beggs, who were married in Keighley in 1893. Thomas was baptised at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church on 12th December 1897.
(Daniel was a moulder’s labourer in the 1891 census.)

In the 1901 census Thomas was two years old and living at 39 Woolpack Street in Keighley with his father Daniel aged 31 and his mother Mary aged 30. His siblings were Rose, aged 7; Maggie, aged 4; Mary aged 1. Also at the home on this date were Daniel’s 33 year old brother Michael, and Agnes McGuire aged 23 was boarding with them.
Daniel was now employed as a mason’s labourer.
[Woolpack Street no longer exists, it was next to the Woolpack Inn on King Street, off South Street.]

In 1911 Thomas was living with his family at 8 Britannia Street in Keighley.
According to the census his parents Daniel aged 41 and Mary aged 40 had been married for 18 years and had produced 11 children, 2 of whom had died. Daniel was a foundry labourer and Mary was running the family home. Rose aged 17 and Margaret aged 15 were worsted spinners and Thomas aged 13 was a worsted doffer. The younger children, Mary aged 11, Annie aged 9, Daniel aged 7, John aged 6 were all at school and the two youngest, Kathleen aged 2 and James aged 1 were still at home.
[Britannia Street no longer exists today but at the time it was off Aireworth Street. In it’s place is a high rise block of flats.]

Their father Daniel appears in the National Union of Railwaymen’s General Register of Members, which describes him as a 45 year porter working for the Midland Railway at Keighley. He had been admitted to the union on 26th June 1914 and at the time Keighley was in the grip of a protracted strike which had been going on since May. This was called by the Foundrymen and Moulders and had grown to include other trades in the town. It’s likely he just decided to move to a completely different occupation in order to provide for his family and as an unskilled worker on what would have been a very low strike pay, he was probably better off out of the foundry trade.

War service:

Thomas enlisted at Keighley for General Service with the Army in September 1916 He was 18 years old and 19 in November that year. After a period of training he was posted out to France in January 1917 for service with the 2nd Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment.

WO-95-1508-1_2 – 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment, War diary:

BRAY. 6th January: Battalion in billets. 55 other ranks joined the Battalion from Base.
BRAY. 8th January: Battalion in billets. 7 other ranks joined the Battalion from Base.
BRAY. 25th January: Battalion in camp. 5 other ranks joined the Battalion from Base.
[it’s likely that Thomas was part of one of these three drafts in January]

WO-95-1508-1_2 – 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment, War diary

Entry for late April and early May 1917. 28th April:
Bn. moved to HAUTEAVESNESS for further particulars see Operation order no. 23 attached.
2.55 pm. Bn. arrived at HAUTEAVESNESS.
29th April:
6.16 am.
Bn. left HAUTEAVESNESS for shelters in G17 East of ST NICHOLAS. For further particulars see Operation order no. 24 attached.
30th April:
8.30 pm. Bn. left G17 for TRENCHES N.E. of FAMPOUX. For further particulars see Operation order.
1.15 am. Relief complete. [Took over from 21st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers – 2nd Tyneside Scottish.] 1st May:
Battalion in the line. The day was comparatively quiet. Companies occupied trenches according to Operation order no. 26 attached.
About 2 pm enemy shelled trenches held by no. 2 company causing some casualties.
Casualties: 2 OR killed 5 OR wounded.
2nd Lieutenants’ McDowall R.A., Willey, E.R. and Harrison, D joined from 3rd Battalion.
2nd May:
Battalion in the line. The day was quiet, there being little shelling.
At 11 pm Battalion HQ moved to RAILWAY ARCH at H18.d.3.2. while companies moved to ASSEMBLY TRENCHES South of the RAILWAY. Completion of the move was reported at 12 Midnight.
Casualties 2 OR wounded.
3rd May:
3.45 am. “Attack” began. Enemy’s barrage came down within 40 seconds and on the front covered by the battalion was directed chiefly on the RAILWAY EMBANKMENT and the ROAD under the RAILWAY at H18.d.3.2 and on the front line trenches.
5.15 am. Wounded coming back reported that fighting still continued in the CHEMICAL WORKS.
5.30 am. Wounded reported that the CHEMICAL WORKS had been captured. It was decided to move battalion HQ there. Advance parties were sent forward and reported that the whole of the ground South of the EMBANKMENT was swept by heavy machine gun fire.
In view of the certain heavy loss of personnel it was decided not to move forward. Battalion HQ remained at the RAILWAY ARCH all day being continuously subjected to in intense fire of High explosive and gas shells. Several casualties occurred, but the ARCH was not penetrated.
10 am. Sergeant THORNTON and Lance Corporal ELBELL came back from the battalion with a message from Sergeant REID. They stated that the battalion had advanced to a hill top from which they looked straight down upon a large village. (this statement was subsequently confirmed by a wounded man who also got back) At this point, which must have been the BLUE LINE the battalion was swept with very heavy machine gun fire.
All surviving officers became casualties and the remnants of the battalion 30 men under Company Sergeant Major BAMBOROUGH fell back to the BLACK LINE, where in company with remnants of different units of the 10th and 12th Brigades, about 100 men in all, they dug in. The message from Sergeant REID stated that they were “200 from the RAILWAY and 30 yards in front of the BLACK LINE, that they had about 30 men and no officers, that there were only a few of the 10th Brigade over on the right and that the Germans were on the left, he said they were cut off and asked for reinforcements.”
The two NCO’s and one man mentioned above each stated separately that SGT REID with a party of 6 men had captured two German machine guns in the Black Line and had buried them.
This report was confirmed by the THIRD ARMY INTELLIGENCE SUMARY dated 5.5.17 which reported that three German machine guns had been in the BLACK LINE and their detachments had been captured (position of capture approximately I14.c.5.4)
10.10 am.
Message sent to company Sergeant Major BAMBOROUGH ordering him if possible to withdraw, fighting, to the CHEMICAL WORKS. Neither of the two NCO’s sent with this message succeeded in delivering it. Various attempts made later to get the message forward all failed. It was now known that the CHEMICAL WORKS group of BUILDINGS had been captured as was still held by moppers up of the battalion, but that the CHATEAU and large house just North of it were still in the enemy’s hands. Machine gun fire from these rendered it impossible to cross the ROEUX-GAVRELLE ROAD. During the whole day only three men crossed it – i.e., the 3 men mentioned above.
10.15 am. Message sent to 12th Infantry Brigade HQ asking for reinforcements with a view to an immediate attack through the CHATEAU up to the BLACK LINE. These reinforcements did not come up till 5 pm.
11 am. A report was received from the 1st KINGS OWN that a small party of that regiment together with about 10 men, 2nd DUKE OF WELLINGTON’S had dug in immediately WEST of the CHATEAU but were unable to move (the survivors of this party managed to return after nightfall.)
Touch with 10th INFANTRY BRIGADE had not yet been obtained and as it was uncertain where they were the RAILWAY ARCH was prepared for defence by sandbagging the Southern entrance and placing a machine gun in position there.
4 pm. News was received from the 12th INFANTRY BRIGADE that a strong German counter attack had passed over the BLACK LINE about 2 pm. Parties of the 10th BRIGADE were seen to be holding CEYLON AND COLNE trenches.
5 pm. Two companies of HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT (11th BRIGADE) reported for orders. As it was now certain that we were no longer holding the BLACK LINE and as the ground South of the RAILWAY was still swept by machine gun fire, it was decided not to attack but to push one company forward to CALABAR TRENCH and to keep one company in the trenches just North of the RAILWAY ARCH till dusk, and then push them up to a trench just South of the RAILWAY EMBANKMENT and West of the BUILDINGS.
5.30 pm. As the 10th BRIGADE reported that the CHATEAU was not held by the enemy an attempt was made by the mixed party of 1st KINGS OWN and 2nd DUKE OF WELLINGTONS who had dug in just West of the CHATEAU to rush the building. They were met by intense machine gun fire before they were able to get out of the trench and they therefore fell back.
6 pm. Orders were received for battalion HQ to move to FAMPOUX and for the remnants of the battalion to occupy the trenches immediately North of the RAILWAY ARCH.
8.40 pm. Move of battalion HQ was completed.
10 pm. 16 OR had been collected in the trenches mentioned in the last paragraph.
CASUALTIES:
Officers: 1 killed, 2 wounded, 5 wounded and missing.
Other ranks: 9 killed, 103 wounded, 279 missing.
[Private Thomas Brady was one of the 279 men posted missing and his death was later presumed to be on or after 3rd May 1917.]

Operation order no.23:

By Lt. Colonel A. G. Horsfall Commanding 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment in the field April 27th 1917.
INTENTION: (1) Battalion will move to HAUTEAVESNES tomorrow 28th inst.
ROUTE: (2) AVESNES le COMTE, HABAREQ.
STARTING POINT: (3) Station at the eastern end of LIENCOURT.
TIME: (4) Battalion will pass starting point at 10.45 am.

Operation order no.24:

By Lt. Colonel A. G. Horsfall Commanding 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment in the field April 28th 1917.

1. Battalion will move tomorrow to shelter camp in G,17., East of ST. NICHOLAS.
2. STARTING POINT: Road past Orderly Room.
3. HOUR OF START: 6.15 am.
4. ORDER OF MARCH: H.Q., No. 2 Company, No. 3 Company, No. 4 Company, No. 1 Company. 200 yards between companies and between Battalion and Transport.
5. ROUTE: LOUEZ, ANZIN and ST. CATHERINE.

Operation order no.25:

By Lt. Colonel A. G. Horsfall Commanding 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment in the field April 30th 1917.
1. MOVE:
The battalion will move at 8.30 pm tonight in the order shown in the margin to the area roughly NE of FAMPOUX, and will take over Brigade Support from the 21st Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish.)
[in the margin: No. 1 Coy, No. 4 Coy, No. 2 Coy, No. 3 Coy, HQ.] 2. FORMATIONS:
Companies will march by Platoons with an interval of 100 yards between Platoons, and will use the overland track. Guides from the Battalion to be relieved will meet Coys. at Headquarters of the 102nd Infantry Brigade at H.16.b.7.8.
3. POSITIONS:
No. 1 Coy. Trench from Railway Embankment at H.18.d.70.35. inclusive to FAMPOUX – PLOUVAIN ROAD at H.18.b.4.3. exclusive.
This line will be held by the Lewis Gunners only while a communication trench is dug along the Northern side of the Railway Embankment to join up CALABAR and the original GREEN LINE.
No. 2 Coy. from the left of no. 1 Coy., inclusive of the road, along the trench line to the FAMPOUX – FRESNES ROAD at H.18.a.65.80 exclusive.
No. 4 Coy. from the left of no. 3 Coy. inclusive of the road, along the trench line to CLYDE TRENCH at H.12.c.40.75. exclusive.
No. 3 Coy. The curved trench running from H.18.d.2.2. to the FAMPOUX – PLOUVAIN ROAD at H.18.b.25.30.
Battalion Advanced Headquarters. will be at the most Easterly house in FAMPOUX on the FAMPOUX – PLOUVAIN ROAD. I Signaller, 1 Linesman and 2 Runners will be at this position, and must be relieved periodically.
Battalion Rear Headquarters will be in the trenches and dugouts on the Eastern outskirts of FAMPOUX.

Keighley News 9th June 1917 page 9:

Mr. Daniel Brady, 8, Britannia Street, Keighley, received information on Tuesday last that his son, Private Thomas Brady, West Riding Regiment, has been missing since May 3 last.
A comrade of his has written home stating that he went into battle with Private Brady on that date, but that he did not answer the roll-call the next day. The official notification intimates that he may have been taken prisoner. He enlisted in September, 1916, and has been in France since January last. He is 19 years of age. Before joining the Army he was employed by Messrs. George Hattersley & Son, North Brook Works, Keighley.

Keighley News 30th June 1917 page 3:

It has been officially announced during the past week that the following soldiers from Keighley and District are missing:
West Riding Regiment, Private T. Brady (29463)

Thomas went missing and was never reported found. It’s possible that his body lay on the battlefield for a while and was buried by subsequent artillery bombardment. He has no known final resting place and is remembered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on bay 6 of the Arras Memorial, along with 34,739 other names. The Arras Memorial is at Fauborg D’Amiens Cemetery at Pas de Calais in France.

Locally Thomas is named in the Keighley Borough Roll of Honour Book at Keighley Library.
He is also named on St. Anne’s Church war memorial on North Street in Keighley.
We believe he would have been named on the Hattersley’s War Memorial which is thought to be lost.

His father Daniel was his official next of kin and received the sum of £1 17s. 8d. on 30th May 1918 which was Thomas’s outstanding pay. Daniel also received a war gratuity payment of £3 on 10th December 1919. He would also have received the personal effects of Thomas and later, a memorial plaque and King’s Scroll. He would have received Thomas’s British War Medal and Victory Medal in 1920 or 1921.

Thomas’s mother Mary received a dependant’s pension of six shillings and three pence per week, starting on 1st January 1918. At that time she was living at 8, Britannia Street in Keighley.

In the 1921 census Daniel and Mary were still living at 8, Britannia Street and Daniel was working again as a Foundry labourer again, for Prince, Smith and Son at their huge Burlington Shed. This no longer exists and is now the site of Keighley’s Asda Supermarket. Their home at 8, Britannia Street had thirteen family members in residence and only four rooms, so it must have been quite a cramped life.

Information sources:

England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
England Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms.
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
National Archives.
WO-95-1508-1_2 – 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment, War diary.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War.
UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
1921 Census.
Britain, Trade Union Membership Registers.