b. ? d. ?
DATE OF AM ACTION: 02/05/1916 Hesdin, France.
Very little is known about Thomas Walton other than his service record. He went to France on 13th December 1914 and rose to the rank of Major. He received his AM from King George V on 21st October 1917.
AM CITATION:
On 2nd May last, whilst a German 21-centimetre shell, in which several holes had been bored, was being “steamed” in a laboratory for the purpose of investigation, the box of shavings in which it was packed caught fire. The officer in charge of the laboratory at once sent for help to the nearest Army Service Corps fire station, ordered all persons to leave the building, and warned the inhabitants of the neighbouring houses that a serious explosion was imminent. On receipt of the request for help, Lieutenant Rowlandson, with Walton, Anderson and Lawrence, at once collected fire extinguishers and proceeded by motor to thelaboratory. They entered the building, played on the fire (which had spread considerably), and after about two minutes were able to reach the burning shell, which they dragged into the yard and extinguished there. At any moment after the fire broke out the shell might have exploded with disastrous, results.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
