Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Benson, an innkeeper, born in the 2nd quarter of 1852 in Whitwick, Leicestershire and his wife Bertha Mary Benson (nee Bamkin, married in the 3rd quarter of 1877 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district), born in the 4th quarter of 1855 in Whitwick. Thomas was born in the 1st quarter of 1879 in Whitwick, he had one sibling, Flora, born in the 4th quarter of 1880 in Whitwick, in April 1881 the family home was at The Beaumont Arms, Market Place, Whitwick. In April 1891 Thomas was a schoolboy and was residing at Paris Hill, Whitwick together with his sister Flora a schoolgirl, meanwhile his father was employed as a gas fitter and was residing with his wife as lodgers at The Horse and Groom, Main Street, Nuthall, Nottinghamshire. Thomas’s mother died in the 4th quarter of 1893 in Whitwick, aged 38. In March 1901 Thomas was employed as a tin plate worker and was residing in the family home, this being his father’s Ironmongery Shop at Pares Hill, Whitwick, together with his father an ironmonger, his step mother Joanna Bridget Benson (nee Tomkins (Tompkins), married in the 1st quarter of 1896 in the Ashby de la Zouch, District), born in the 3rd quarter of 1865 in Whitwick, his sibling Flora (Florence) and half blood sibling George, born in the 1st quarter of 1898 in Whitwick. Thomas’s father died in the 1st quarter of 1907 in Whitwick, aged 54. In April 1911 Thomas was absent from the family home at 2, Pares Hill, Whitwick, residing there was his widowed step mother, an ironmonger and half blood siblings, George, a schoolboy and Frederick Bernard, a schoolboy, born in the 3rd quarter of 1903 in Whitwick. Thomas’s half blood sibling George, who in January 1920 had been medically discharged and was in receipt of an Army Pension, died on the 10th July 1925.
Thomas’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, but from the few existing documents that are available in the public domain, it can be confirmed that he enlisted into the Army in Coalville. After enlistment, although it is unclear to which Regiment he was first allocated, it can however be confirmed that he was posted to the Royal Army Service Corps and was allotted the service number M/284108. It is unknown when Thomas first entered the theatre of war in France, however as he was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, it must be assumed that it was at some time after the 31st December 1915. His first recorded posting was to the Infantry Base Depot, he was then attached to the 12th Divisional Train, then transferred to the Employment Base Depot, from here he was transferred to the Prisoner of War Company before finally returning to the Infantry Base Depot. What is unclear from all of these postings is, at what point was he transferred to the 10th Battalion of the South Wales Borderers, where he was allotted the service number 45855. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was reported as having died from myocardial degeneration on the 3rd February 1918. He was buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen in Seine-Maritime, France. Thomas was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. His widowed step mother, Joanna Benson was awarded a weekly Army Pension of eight shillings to commence on the 28th August 1918.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 8th, 1918

LOCAL CASUALTIES

Private T. Benson (Whitwick) of the South Wales Borderers, is officially reported to have died.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 1/2/2018.