John Thomas VC

b. 10/05/1886 Manchester. d. 28/02/1954 Stockport, Cheshire.

John Thomas (1886-1954) was born at Higher Openshaw, Manchester on 10th May 1886. He was also known as Thomas. His father, Edward, was a boot maker, born in Worcester. He married Elizabeth “Eliza” Crellin, originally from the Isle of Man, a nurse, on 15th September 1877 at St Simon’s, Salford, Lancashire. It is believed Edward was married before and had at least three children. John had three sisters from his father’s marriage to Eliza. After both of his parents died the children were cared for by relatives.

He was educated at St Barnabus’ Church School, Openshaw and was employed as a merchant seaman with the Cunard Shipping Company in Liverpool. He enlisted in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment on 13th October 1908. On 7th June 1909 he enlisted in the Army Service Corps as a transport driver, transferred to the Reserve in 1912 and returned to work with Cunard.

John Thomas VC

On the outbreak of war he was recalled and went to France on 9th August 1914. He was wounded and evacuated to England, where he was taken on the strength of 87th Training Reserve Battalion on 22nd May 1917. On recovery, he transferred to 2/5th North Staffordshire Regiment on 7th July. He was promoted lance corporal.

The battalion had moved into trenches on the 28th November 1917, close to the village of Fontaine-Notre-Dame, and the North Staffs., had relieved the 1st Grenadier Guards, who were then the centre front battalion just to the right of the Cambrai – Bapaume road. The battalion spent the night manning a series of detached posts that made up the front line, with two companies engaged in work details and carrying parties. On the 30th November, the battalion were still in position and held off a German counter-attack between 11 am and mid-day, and during the same period Thomas went out in view of the enemy and reconnoitred positions at the southern edge of a nearby copse, marked as F.21.a.4 on trench maps, an isolated house at F.2.a.30.85 and an abandoned factory on the western edge of Fontaine at F.15.c.38.05. He returned with information which proved to be invaluable to snipers. During the same period that Thomas was out in No-Man’s-Land, a second enemy counter-attack was launched at 12.30 pm which was again repulsed.

The battalion War Diary records that:

“Thomas jumped out of his trench and ran forwards 200 yards, and then dropped down and crawled through some trees and out the other side. He then crawled further forward for another 150 yards. From here he could see a large German dugout, and watched 200 men come out in threes and fours, who passed within 20 yards of him. He allowed them to go about 200 yards, and then fired at them in the back. He went out at 11 am and came back at 3 pm.”

For this action Thomas was awarded the VC and his citation reads:

“For most conspicuous bravery and initiative in action. He saw the enemy making preparations for a counter-attack, and with a comrade, on his own initiative, decided to make a close reconnaissance. These two went out in broad daylight in full view of the enemy and under heavymachine- gun fire. Has comrade was hit within a few yards of the trench, but, undeterred, L./.C. Thomas went on alone. Working round a small copse he shot three snipers and then pushed on to a building used by the enemy as a night post. From here he saw whence the enemy were bringing up their troops and where they were congregating. He stayed in this position for an hour, sniping the enemy the whole time and doing great execution. He returned to our lines, after being away three hours, with information of the utmost value, which enabled definite plans to be made and artillery fire to be brought on the enemy’s concentration, so that when the attack took place it was broken up.” – London Gazette, 13th February 1918

Thomas was presented with his medal by the King at Buckingham Palace on the 23rd March 1918, but earlier in the month he had been involved in an incident at Bullecourt, where he had been blown up and concussed by a shell. Following his investiture Thomas returned to his home address at 7, Gorton Lane, Lower Openshaw, and was given a civic reception where the Mayor resented him with several gifts including a gold watch and an illuminated address. Thomas returned to France and was promoted to Corporal on the 10th November 1918, and Sergeant on the 21st March 1919. During this time he had married Amelia Wood, from Hulme, Manchester, whilst the couple were on the Isle of Man, the ceremony taking place at St. Matthew’s Church, Douglas on 11th June 1919, and upon their return they moved to Stockport, where they raised two boys who were later to serve with the Special Air Service in World War Two, and a girl.

Thomas attended the VC Garden Party in June 1920, and four years later he was one of five VC recipients introduced to Lord Derby at the unveiling of the Manchester War Memorial in St. Peter’s Square. He was also present at the 1929 VC Dinner at the House of Lords and the Victory Parade and dinner in 1946, though his health was not good and he was suffering from the effects of his service during the Great War. He was only able to walk a few steps at a time and by 1947, he had become unemployable and retired from work aged 61. He had various employment as a storekeeper, a bus driver and finally a machine moulder in a rubber works. Despite his health, Thomas was present at the reception given for Altrincham’s Bill Speakman VC, who had earned his medal during the Korean War. Thomas was a member of the welcoming committee at the event on the 30th January 1952.

Two years after the Speakman VC event, Thomas passed away at home at 33, Lowfield Road, Stockport on the 28th February 1954, and was buried on the 4th March, following a service held at his home by the Salvation Army. The coffin was pulled by gun carriage to Stockport Borough Cemetery, where members of the North Staffordshire Regiment acted as bearers and played the Last Post at the graveside. John is further commemorated on the VC Memorial at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, and has a VC commemorative stone at the Manchester Cenotaph, which was unveiled on 14th October 2016.

A letter written by Thomas, to his sisters has recently been discovered and published in the Daily Mail, where he wrote that he had become so despondent with the war and witnessing his friends being blown to pieces that he had considered handing himself over to the Germans just months earlier.

In addition to his VC he was awarded the 1914 Star with “Mons” clasp, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19, George VI Coronation Medal 1937 and Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953. He once absent-mindedly left his VC on a bus, but it was handed in to lost property and returned to him. The VC is held privately.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: NOT PUBLICLY HELD.

BURIAL PLACE: STOCKPORT BOROUGH CEMETERY, STOCKPORT, CHESHIRE.

SECTION LB, GRAVE 550.