Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Squires, a coal miner, born on the 24th August 1862 in Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire and his wife Esther Squires (nee Watson, married in the 2nd quarter of 1881 in the Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire district), born on the 27th March 1863 in Thringstone, Leicestershire. Thomas was born in the 1st quarter of 1892 in Whitwick, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Mary Ann, a general servant, born on the 20th August 1882, Edward, a colliery horse driver, born on the 9th February 1884, Amelia, a general servant, born on the 27th November 1885, John, a colliery horse driver, born in the 1st quarter of 1888 and baptised on the 1st April 1888 in the Parish Church, Barrow upon Soar, the latter four siblings were all born in Barrow upon Soar, Caroline, born in the 4th quarter of 1889 in Thringstone and Emily, born 16th December 1894 in Whitwick, in March 1901 the family home was at Main Street, Thringstone. In April 1911 Thomas was employed as a coal miner and was residing in the family home at Main Street, Thringstone, together with his father, a coal miner, his mother and siblings, Emily and his niece, Amelia, born on the 4th March 1903 in Thringstone. Thomas also had two more siblings, Annie who was born in the 1st quarter of 1901 and who died in the 1st quarter of 1901 and William who was born in the 2nd quarter of 1898 and who died in the 3rd quarter of 1898, both siblings were born in Thringstone. Thomas married Martha Haywood in the 1st quarter of 1913 in the Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire district, Martha was born on the 13th August 1892, they had a son, William born on the 12th July 1914, the family home was at Forest Street, Shepshed, Leicestershire. Martha and her son were awarded a weekly Army Pension of fifteen shillings to commence on the 29th January 1917. Thomas’s older brother John, who enlisted on the same day, died of wounds received in action on the 21st December 1917.
John, Edward and Thomas Squires all enlisted into the 6th (Service) Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment in Coalville on the 26th September 1914, being allotted the consecutive service numbers 15523, 15524 and 15525 respectively, John and Thomas both died as a result of wounds received in action but Edward survived the war having been severely wounded in action and subsequently being discharged on the 4th August 1917 as being no longer fit for active service under King’s Regulations Para; 392 (xvi), he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal and additionally was awarded the Silver War Badge No. 120496.
Thomas’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 15525, and was posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 6th Battalion. And it was with this Battalion, that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 29th July 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded as having died of wounds received in action on the 16th July 1916. He was buried in Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, France. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 14-17 July-16 - FRICOURT. The 110th Brigade attacked and captured BAZENTIN – LE – PETIT WOOD and village and held same. Appendix I. The action attached.
Narrative of action of the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment from 3.00am 14/7/16 to 8.00am 17/7/16.
The Battalion moved from FRICOURT WOOD via the southern and eastern edge of MAMETZ WOOD and reached the north east corner of this wood just before 3.00am. The Battalion was formed in four lines by 3.15am under a fairly heavy bombardment and lined up with the 7th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on its left about 100 yards in front of MAMETZ WOOD. At 3.25am 1st and 2nd lines advanced on German first line, and five minutes later the third and fourth lines advanced, and, crossing first line, assaulted and took the German second line. The first German line was very much knocked about and some 25 or 30 prisoners were taken in it. The right Company blocked German first line trench on right of the attack, and also the same in the German second line. While crossing “No man’s” land the barrage was not very severe but the two right Companies suffered a good many casualties from enemy machine guns in BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD, which had not then been cleared by 7th Division on our right. There were also two enemy machine guns in the south east corner of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. These were charged by the third and fourth lines and the detachments killed, and the guns taken. There were not a large number of Germans in second line when it was entered. The trenches had been so knocked about that it was difficult to consolidate them. At 4.00am first and second lines, leaving small parties to deal with any dugouts, advanced to German second line, which was also being consolidated by the third and fourth lines. At 4.20am three platoons remained in German second line, and the rest of the Battalion advanced to the “one hour” line, which was reached after suffering a good many casualties from enfilade fire from the direction of BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD. Soon after this the enemy, retiring in front of the 7th Division from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD on our right, were enfiladed from the eastern edge of the wood by our Lewis guns, and suffered heavy losses. For some time the right Company had to form a defensive flank as many of the enemy were trying to get from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. At 5.20am the Battalion advanced to the “two hour” line and remained there till 6.00am, waiting for the 7th Division to come up on our right. At 6.00am the Battalion was reinforced by several platoons of the 9th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 6.05am the line advanced against the village, and, the left of the 7th Division not being up, the whole village was assaulted and taken, and 3 officers and 200 prisoners. At 6.40am the ROYAL IRISH RIFLES entered the village and the eastern portion was handed over to them. At 7.15am the Battalion occupied and began consolidating the line from the northern end of the village, thence southwards to the north eastern point of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD, thence along northern edge of wood halfway to the railway. An attempt to get the real objective was heavily enfiladed from a point just outside the wood near the railway. About 50 prisoners were taken in a trench along northern edge of wood. At 8.30am the enemy made a counter attack against the northern portion of village. The 7th Division who were not very strong here fell back on cemetery. The Battalion conformed and held northern edge of wood and the prolongation of same through the village. At 9.15am the 7th Division were reinforced and retook eastern portion of village, and the Battalion resumed its previous line, joining up with the 7th Division north of the village. At 3.00pm the enemy made another counter attack against northern and north eastern edge of village. Many of them reached the road running from north end of village to railway and were at once stopped by our rifle and Lewis gun fire. The Battalion held and consolidated this position on the night of the 14th and also on the 15th there was no change. At 2.00am on the 16th a party of one officer and 50 men were sent out to try to consolidate the original objective along the road. They were preceded by a party of one officer and 40 men of the YORKSHIRE REGIMENT The latter party got to the road and held it for some time while our party was trying to consolidate, but were heavily bombed and enfiladed from enemy post just outside wood near railway, and was forced to retire. On the night of the 16th the Battalion was relieved by the 10th KING’S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY and the Battalion went into bivouac just south of FRICOURT WOOD, arriving there at 1.00am the 17th instant. The Battalion suffered the following casualties 7 officers killed and 20 wounded. 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday November 3rd, 1916

LOCAL CASUALTIES

Private T. Squires, of the Leicestershire Regiment, is reported to have died of wounds received in action. He formerly lived at Thringstone, where his parents reside, and worked at the Whitwick Colliery. He enlisted at a recruiting meeting in Thringstone Hall soon after war broke out. His wife is residing at Shepshed.

Coalville Times article - Friday May 21st, 1920

THRINGSTONE WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILED BY COL. BOOTH AT THE PARISH CHURCH

A beautiful stained-glass window has been placed in St. Andrew’s Church, Thringstone, in memory of men from the parish who fell in the war, together with a brass tablet bearing all the names, and the unveiling was performed by Col. T. Booth at a special service last Sunday afternoon, when there was a crowded congregation, which included many relatives of the deceased soldiers.

The service was impressively conducted by the Vicar (the Rev. C. Shrewsbury) and opened with the singing of the hymn, “There is a Land of pure Delight.” Other hymns sung were, “O God our help in ages past,” “The Saints of God,” and “For all the Saints,” also the psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

The window, which faces the church entrance, depicts St. Alban, the first British martyr to die for the Christian faith, and inscribed, “Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end.”

The tablet by the side of the window bears the inscription, “To the greater glory of God, and in memory of the following who from this parish and congregation have given their lives for their country in the great war 1914 – 1919, this window is dedicated by the congregation and parishioners of St. Andrew’s.”

Here are 27 names, as follows:

1914
Pte. T. Jones, Durham Light Infantry.
1915
Pte. E. Hall, Leicestershire
Corp’l W. E. Moore, R.G.A.
Pte. I. Hall, Leicestershire
1916
Pte. E. Howe, Leicestershire
Sapper E. Robinson, Royal Engineers
Pte. L. Whitmore, Leicestershire
Pte. T. Squires, Leicestershire
Pte. M. Grainger, Leicestershire
1917
Pte. F. B. Bowler, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Pte. R. Freeman, Leicestershire
Sapper H. Briers, Royal Engineers
A. J. Turner, telegraphist, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Pte. J. Squires, Leicestershire
Pte. L. Haywood, Scottish Rifles
Corp’l W. Sykes, Leicestershire
Pte. T. Bailey, Royal Scots
1918
Corp’l J. Bancroft, Leicestershire
Rfn. G. W. W. Howe, Rifle Brigade
Pte. J. Gee, York and Lancaster
2nd Lieut. T. F. McCarthy, Loyal North Lancashire
Pte. S. R. Dring, Leicestershire
J. T. Fortnam, Able Seaman, Royal Naval Division
L.-Corp’l A. Griffin, Sherwood Foresters
Pte. J. Morley, Suffolk
Pte. H. Freeman, Leicestershire
Pte. H. Lakin, Leicestershire

At the foot appear the words: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Having unveiled the memorial, Col. Booth proceeded to the other end of the church and from the chancel steps addressed the congregation as follows:

“My friends, I have been entrusted with the very solemn, but to me, the very proud duty, of coming here to address you, the members of this congregation on the subject of the memorial, that beautiful brass tablet which I have just had the honour to unveil, and I can assure you all that I am fully alive to the responsibility which that has involved upon me, and I am also very appreciative of the honour which it has imposed upon me. I am sure that as you heard those names read out, you could not fail to have been impressed, as I was, with the fact that these precious lives came from every class and from all ranks. What you may not have realised altogether is the width and scope of their sacrifice. I will try to explain what I mean. Reading out those names, I first find mention of men who went out at the start, in 1914, to help to stem the first wild onslaught of the Germans before we were ready; when everything was unprepared. Think of that. Then we pass on to other names of men who gave their lives in 1915, in those dull days in the trenches, when everything seemed dark, and when we appeared to be hammering our heads against a stone wall. Then I find more names in 1916, men who died in the great Battle of the Somme, which lasted for many weeks, but in which their services were rewarded by the first ray of hope which seemed to come to the nation. Then more names I find in 1917, men who took part in those hammering blows which we may regard as the period during which the war reached its height, when the storm seemed to be at its worst. Then in those terrible days in the early spring of 1918, I find more names, when the nation strained well-nigh to breaking point in her brave endeavour to stave off the last despairing effort of the Germans to overwhelm us on the soil of France. Lastly, and to me the most pathetic of all, are some few names of men who fell just as the dawn was breaking, a few days before the Armistice. Well, I have given a brief account of how those names covered that scope I spoke of at first. What then do we owe these men? I do not know whether you, or I, or anybody can yet appreciate the magnitude of that debt, but certain it is, we can never repay. What are we to do then – what must we do? Well, I think we must see to it that these men are never forgotten; that their names are never forgotten. This beautiful brass tablet and memorial window are the proof we intend to give that they shall not be forgotten. I think we must do more than this; we must see that we explain to the new generation that is coming on – explain to them what this tablet means; show them the names, and as they get older and more able to understand, explain to them what it stands for, what we really owe to these men; that we owe to them the peaceful possession of our houses, the freedom of the countryside to-day, the honour of our women and the safety of our little children. I think that is the duty for us in the future, and they will carry it on long after we are no more. Then, finally, I want to say a word to the members of this congregation who are relatives of the fallen. I know that nothing I can say is any real comfort; nothing that anybody can say is of any real comfort; but it may afford you some consolation to know that we, your fellow countrymen, are determined that the names of those beloved ones are not forgotten, and that brass tablet and window stand for all time as a witness to the noble and unselfish example of those brave souls, and I hope when you leave this church after this beautiful service, that you will feel as I do, and as all this congregation do I am sure, that their sacrifice has not been in vain.”

After the Benediction, the service closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 18/10/2017