Current Information:

Age-23

33, Gaskell Road, Highgate

Aubigny Communal Cemetery, France

60th Division, made up entirely of 2nd line territorial battalions from London, went to France in June, 1916 where they remained until they were sent to Salonika at the end of the year. During the six months spent on the Western Front they were employed in holding the front line around Arras and were one of the few divisions in France to avoid the Battle of the Somme.

In July, 1916,  while the Battle of the Somme was raging a few miles to their south,  60th Division moved into a sector of the front line near Arras which ran that from Roclincourt on the right to beyond Neuville St. Vaast on the left and was overlooked practically from end to end by the Vimy Ridge. There were four British lines, the forward one termed the Observation line and consisting of strongly fortified individual posts. Communication trenches ran from Anzin, Maroeuil and St Eloi for over two miles and followed a tiresome winding route.

On 10th August, 1916 the 2/19th London battalion of 180 Brigade moved into the front line. Between 7.30 and 8.30am on the following day, 11th August, the enemy shelled the battalion HQ and the First Aid Post and for the rest of the morning were active with rifle grenades and trench mortars. The afternoon was relatively peaceful until 4.30pm when there was once again a bombardment of battalion HQ. The battalion diary recorded that the German fire was very accurate and that there were casualties for the battalion.Thomas Lee. died from wounds on the following day and it is likely that he was wounded during this bombardment.