BEAUMONT, Thomas


No.6315, Lance Corporal, Thomas BEAUMONT
Aged 29


2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Thursday, 5th November 1914
An Old Contemptible


Thomas Beaumont was born in Soham in June 1885 (Newmarket Q3-1885 3B:528), baptised in Soham on 6th February 1887, son of Thomas Jeremiah and Caroline BEAUMONT (née STARLING).

1891 census...Aged 5, he was with his widower father Thomas BEAUMONT [32] a farm labourer, born Prickwillow at Great Fen Road, Soham boarding with George [21] and Bertha [20] AUDUS and their 2 children Caroline [2] and David [2 months] and widower Richard SMITH [45 born Stuntney]. The AUDUS family were all Soham born. His mother had died in July 1885, there was an older sister for Thomas, Mary born in 1880.

1901 census...Aged 15, a farm labourer, he was still with his father, lodging with the Audus family.

In Q2-1907 he married Clara Mary ASHMAN.(b.20-3-1885)

1911 census...Aged 25, a farm labourer, in Soham Fen, he was living with his wife Clara May [26] born Isleham and their daughter Olive Hilda [16-11-1907] and son Cyril Flanders (known as 'Son') [7-12-1909], both born in Soham.

They had three more sons, Maurice Ivan [28-7-1911-1991], Ralph [28-7-1912-1988] and Thomas Francis [14-10-1914-1942]. His widow married Arthur William AMES in 1921. Son Thomas Francis BEAUMONT was killed in the RAF in 1942 in the Mediterranean theatre. see here




He enlisted in Bury St. Edmunds .
The 2nd Suffolk were very quickly into France, arriving on 15th August. Having been pushed back by the Germans in the battle of Le Cateau, they had suffered 720 casualties. The retirement continued until the 5th September when the German advance was halted. The beginning of November saw them in the Chapigny area. It was a quiet spell but they had 4 killed in the first week of November, 3 on the 4th and Thomas on the 5th.

The Newmarket Journal reported the following




The Wisbech Standard reported:- SOHAM SOLDIER KILLED - CORPL.T.BEAUMONT-
We announced last week the death of Corpl.T.Beaumomnt, of Soham, who was killed in action on Nov.5th. The following letter, recently received by Mrs Beaumont from the officer in command of the regiment, testified to the esteem and respect in which the late Corporal was held by his comrades in arms. The letter is headed "The Suffolk Regiment", and is dated Nov.6th 1914. It reads :-
"Dear Madam, -- I much regret to have to inform you that your husband, No.6315 Corporal T.Beaumont, was killed yesterday in the trenches. He was in the firing line about fifteen yards to my right, when a howitzer shell came down the line of trenches where we were, destroying that portion where he was, and wounding him in the left side and breaking his left leg. The medical officer came to him very soon, but he did not live long after his wounds had been attended to. He is now buried in the rear of the farm which is now our headquarters, the name of which I must not yet tell you. I regret that I did not know your husband personally, as I have only lately taken over this company. I hear form everyone however, how much he was liked and respected, and what a good soldier he was. Please accept our sincerest sympathy for your great loss, and if I can be of any assistance to you, please let me know. Believe me, truly yours,
Francis Hansbury (O.C. "C" Company)"



photo: Rodney Gibson



Thomas Beaumont is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, panel 9

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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