On this day in 1917, Thomas ‘Tom’ Johns (1893-1917) was killed in a fierce fight in Palestine in the Great War.
Tom was one of five family members involved in the battle at the hilltop village of Beit ur al-Foka, near Jerusalem.
Charlie Hitchcock, Alvin Victor Jones and Frank Roberts, who was shot in the head, survived. Frederick Charley was also killed that day.
Tom, a signaller in the 16th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, died just a few days before his 24th birthday.
He enlisted in the Royal North Devon Hussars in early 1915 and quickly became an expert in signalling.
He served in Palestine and Egypt for about a year before losing his life.
His death was announced in The North Devon Journal on December 27, 1917.
A memorial service for Tom was held at All Hallow’s Parish Church, Woolsery – where he had been a bell ringer – on January 13, 1918.
His parents, brothers, sisters and friends filled the church for the service which was conducted by the vicar, the Rev F Courtenay Burrough.
Tom is remembered at the Jerusalem War Cemetery in Israel and on Hartland War Memorial in Devon.
Paul Roberts
NOTES
Born on December 9, 1893 in Clovelly, Tom was baptised on March 23, 1894 at All Hallow’s Church Woolsery. He lived in Hartland in 1901 with his parents, at Rosen Mill where his father was a corn miller. In 1911, aged 17, he worked with his father at Gorrell Farm, Woolsery. His parents lived at Seckington Farm, Woolsery when he went to war.
Tom was the son of Walter Johns (1865-1921) and Rosa Hockridge (1869-1943). Walter was the son of Thomas Johns (1840-1893) and Caroline Roberts (1847-1921). Caroline was the youngest sister of John Roberts (1829-1919), my great-great grandfather who had 30 grandsons serving in the Great War.
Picture below
Signaller Tom Johns.
