BORN HULL 1892. SON OF WILLIAM HENRY (HARRY) SAWYERS AND CATHERINE GARDINER, OF 24 GILLETT STREET, HULL. BROTHER TO WILLIAM, ALFRED AND CATHERINE NEWMARCH. EMPLOYED AT HULL FISH DOCKS. HIS ARMY RECORDS DESCRIBE HIM, AS 5 FOOT, 1 INCH TALL, 128 LBS WEIGHT, 35 INCH CHEST, TATTOO ON HIS RIGHT FOREARM OF HIS WIFE’S NAME “KATE INGLIS”.
HE MARRIED AT ST BARNABAS CHURCH, ON 02/08/1914. HUSBAND OF KATE INGLIS (1896-1986) AND TWO SONS LIVING AT 32 PELHAM STREET, HULL AND THEN 47 MARMADUKE STREET, HESSLE ROAD, HULL. (ARMY RECORDS & WAR PENSION ADDRESS).
HE ENLISTED IN THE HULL PALS, AGED 23, ON 11/12/1914. HE TRAINED AT RIPON CAMP, AND SERVED WITH THE 11TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT IN EGYPT AND FRANCE. HE ARRIVED IN FRANCE ON 08/03/1916. WAS APPOINTED LANCE CORPORAL, ON 15/03/1916. WOUNDED IN THE HAND, ON 27/06/1916, AND AGAIN, ON 03/07/1916. REJOINED HIS UNIT, ON 11/08/1916. PROMOTED TO CORPORAL, ON 11/09/1916. HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT HAND ON 12/04/1918. REJOINED THE 11TH BATTALION, ON 29/04/1918. GASSED ON 15/08/1918. RETURNED TO UNIT ON 21/08/1918. HE WAS KILLED IN BELGIUM, ON 08/09/1918, AGED 26 WHILE CAPTURING A TRENCH. HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL (DCM) FOR THIS ACTION ON 30/10/1918. HE HAD SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR 3 YEARS AND 272 DAYS. HE IS COMMEMORATED AT THE PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, HAINAUT, BELGIUM.
HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, KATE, AT 47 MARMADUKE STREET, HULL. HIS TWO BROTHERS, WILLIAM (DSC) AND ALFRED SAWYERS SERVED ON MINESWEEPERS. (HULL DAILY MAIL, 27/08/1918)
Hull Pals Memorial Post. CPL THOMAS SAWYERS DCM 11/1207. Born in 1891, Thomas was one of four children to William and Kate Sawyers. A Fish Worker by trade he married Kate Ingles on 2nd August 1914, two days before war broke out in Europe. Enlisting on 11th December he joined the 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 2nd Hull Pals. One of the Originals, Thomas was clearly a brave and capable soldier and he steadily rose through the ranks. He was twice wounded, once in each hand, firstly on the Somme in June 1916 and then again at Armentieres during the German Spring Offensive in April 1918. He was also gassed in the August of that year but returned to the line for the attack on Soyer Farm. Thomas was killed in action on 8th September 1918 and his body never recovered. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial; a husband, father and fish worker; he was 27 years old. The London Gazette of 30th October 1918 tells how he earned his Distinguished Conduct Medal: “For conspicuous gallantry in leading his section against an enemy post which was holding up the general advance. The situation called for immediate action, and realising this, he skillfully pushed his section forward and eventually rushed the position. When the line was established he organised parties to carry ammunition to the posts under very trying circumstances. His courage and determination were a fine example to his men.”
