Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Musson, an agricultural labourer, born 1859 in Burbage, Leics., and his wife Clara Musson (nee Haddon, married in the 1st quarter of 1879 in the Hinckley, Leics. district), born 1859 in Burbage, Leics. Thomas’s father died in the 1st quarter of 1890 aged 30 in the Hinckley, Leics. district. In March 1901 Thomas was employed as a brickyard labourer and was residing at 75, Coventry Road, Hinckley, Leics., together with his widowed mother, a domestic housekeeper, and his sister, Sarah, a hosiery trade machinist, born 1883 in Burbage, Leics., and his half blood siblings, Elsie, born 1897 and John Harry, born 1899, both half blood siblings were born in Hinckley, Leics. The head of the house was John Freer, a hosiery trade worker, born 1859 in Hinckley, Leics. In April 1911 Thomas was absent from the family home at Tan Yard, Bond Street, Hinckley, Leics., residing there was John Freer, a laundry labourer, his widowed mother, a house keeper and his half blood siblings, Elsie, a hosiery trade worker, Harry, a schoolboy and Alice, a schoolgirl, born 1903 in Hinckley, Leics. Thomas enlisted into the Royal Marines on the 2nd September 1901 in Hinckley, Leics., and was allocated the service number 11956. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 4¾ inches and his complexion was described as fair, he had light brown hair and his eyes were bluish grey, it was noted that he had a small mole on the back of his neck. He gave the date and place of his birth as the 6th April 1884 in Burbage, Hinckley, Leics., he gave his trade or calling as potter’s labourer and his religion as Church of England. He gave his mother Clara Musson of 15, Coventry Road, Hinckley as his next of kin. His record of service began when he joined the Recruit Depot at Deal, Kent as a Private on the 2/9/01 – 9/7/02, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 10/7/02 – 16/1/03, when he embarked. HMS Prince George, 17/1/03 – 14/7/04. HMS Majestic, 15/7/04 – 15/1/05, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 16/1/05 – 4/12/05, when he embarked. HMS Spartiate, 5/12/05 – 19/8/07. HMS Hampshire, 20/8/07 – 31/3/09, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 1/4/09 – 16/6/09, when he embarked. HMS Spartiate, 17/6/09 – 23/7/09, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 24/7/09 – 31/10/09, when he embarked. HMS Venerable, 1/11/09 – 31/3/10, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 1/4/10 – 18/10/10, when he embarked. HMS Invincible, 19/10/10 – 27/3/11, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 28/3/11 – 16/6/11, when he embarked. HMS Venerable, 17/6/11 – 31/10/11, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 1/11/11 – 22/1/12, when he embarked. HMS Melpomene, 23/1/12 – 25/1/12, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 26/1/12 – 6/2/12, when he embarked. HMS Sirius, 7/2/12 – 26/2/12. HMS -?-, 27/2/12 – 3/10/13, when he was transferred. Portsmouth Division, 4/10/13 – 30/11/13. His 12 years service completed he was re-engaged, 1/12/-13 - 15/12/13, when he embarked. HMS Europa, 16/12/13 – 26/1/14. HMS Hampshire, 27/1/14 – 5/6/16, when he was lost when his vessel was sunk by a mine explosion. The background relating to the circumstances in which Thomas lost his life are as follows; HMS Hampshire was assigned to the 7th Cruiser Squadron in January 1915 and was detached in November to escort shipping in the White Sea. She returned home in time to participate in the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916 with the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. During the battle she was never actually engaged and only fired four salvos at the German II Scouting Group that fell well short of their targets in addition to shooting at illusory submarine periscopes throughout the day. Immediately after the battle, she was ordered to carry Lord Kitchener from Scapa Flow on a diplomatic mission to Russia via the port of Arkhangelsk. Due to the gale force conditions, it was decided that HMS Hampshire would sail through the Pentland Firth, then turn north along the western coast of the Orkney Islands. This course would provide a lee from the strong winds, allowing escorting destroyers to keep pace with her. She departed Scapa Flow at on the 5th June 1916 at 4.45 pm and about an hour later rendezvoused with her two escorts, the Acasta class destroyers HMS Unity and HMS Victor. As the ships turned to the northwest the gale increased and shifted direction so that the ships were facing it head on. This caused the destroyers to fall behind HMS Hampshire. As it was considered unlikely that enemy submarines would be active in such conditions, Captain Savill of HMS Hampshire ordered HMS Unity and HMS Victor to return to Scapa Flow. Sailing alone in heavy seas, HMS Hampshire was approximately 1.5 miles off the mainland of Orkney between Brough of Birsay and Marwick Head at 7.40 pm when an explosion occurred and she heeled to starboard. She had struck one of several mines laid by the German mine laying submarine U.75 on 28th/29th May 1916, just before the Battle of Jutland. The detonation had holed the cruiser between bows and bridge, and the lifeboats were smashed against the side of the ship by the heavy seas when they were lowered. About 15 minutes after the explosion, HMS Hampshire sank by the bows. Of the 655 crewmen and 7 passengers aboard, only 12 crewmen on two Carley floats managed to reach the shore alive; Kitchener and his staff were lost.