Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Stacey, a general farm labourer, born on the 16th April 1865 in Houghton on the Hill, Leicestershire (son of James Stacey, 1809-1871 and Ann Fanny Stacey, 1826-1902) and his wife Florence Lucy Stacey (nee Mattock, married in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in the Billesdon, Leicestershire district), born on the 13th July 1874 in Ingarsby Lodge, Houghton on the Hill, Leicestershire and baptised on the 16th August 1874 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill (daughter of Tom Mattock, 1834-1914 and Ann Greasley, 1834-1903). Thomas Walter, a schoolboy, was born in the January quarter of 1896 in Houghton on the Hill, and was baptised on the 15th March 1896 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill, his siblings were, Ethel Mary, a schoolgirl, born in the October quarter of 1893 and baptised on the 17th December 1893 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill and Harold John, born in the July quarter of 1897 and baptised on the 1st August 1897 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill, both his siblings were born in Houghton on the Hill, also residing with the family was Thomas’s cousin, George Leonard Merrell, born on the 16th October 1899 in Leicester and baptised on the 25th March 1900 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill, in March 1901 the family home was at Main Street, Houghton on the Hill. In April 1911 Thomas was employed as a farm labourer and was residing in the family home at Bushby, Leicestershire, together with his father, a farm labourer, his mother and siblings, Harold, a farm labourer, Leonard Arthur, born on the 9th September 1906 and baptised on the 14th October 1906 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill, Florence Jane, born in the October quarter of 1901 and baptised on the 27th October 1901 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill and Rose Maud, born on the 18th August 1904 and baptised on the 9th October 1904 in St. Catharine’s Church, Houghton on the Hill, the latter three siblings were all born in Houghton on the Hill. Thomas’s younger brother Harold died, age 22 on the 21st March 1920 in Pinwall, Sheepy Magna, Leicestershire.
Thomas’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regiment. Private. Date not known.
Allotted. Service number 9964.
Posted. 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. Private. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 29th July 1915.
Died of wounds. 25th October 1915.
Buried in Humbercamps Communal Cemetery Extension, France, the headstone bears the inscription: -
“SON OF JOHN AND FLORENCE STACEY, PEACE PERFECT PEACE.”
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Thomas nominated his father, John as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 22-27 Oct-15 - BERLES AU BOIS. The Battalion was in billets at BERLES AU BOIS. Working parties of 450 – 500 men were found on alternate days for work on the support line -?- trenches under ROYAL ENGINEERS supervision.
On Monday, November 15th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – The parents of Private W. STACY, 4th Leicester’s, have received a notification that their son died of wounds received in France on October 17th. He was employed on the Beaumanor Estate before the war, and enlisted when war broke out. His parents live at Pinwall, Atherstone.
On Friday, November 19th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. – LEICESTERS: KILLED AND MISSING - (A photograph accompanied the article). – Pte. W. STACY, 6th Leicester’s, died of wounds received in France on October 17th. Parents live at Pinwall, Atherstone.