Thomas Wiles, was born on the 4th of June 1895 in Holme upon Spalding Moor, Yorkshire. Son of Matthew Woodall Wiles (1853-1931) and Mary Ann Wilson (1856-1931). He had two brothers and five sisters. In 1911, he still lived with his parents at Water End and was a farm labourer. Described as 5 foot, 9 inches tall, 124 lbs weight, 34-36 inch chest,
His older brother, Alfred Wiles, lived at 42, Cecil Street, Hawthorne Avenue, Hull. His brother, Matthew, lived at 3, Devonport Avenue, Pretoria Street, Hull. His married sister, Ida Drury, lived at 6, Victoria Avenue, Burleigh Street, Holderness Road, Hull (addresses from Thomas’s Army records).
On September 28th 1914, Thomas Wiles leaves the village, to join the East Yorkshire Regiment, “D” Company, in Hull, as Private, Thomas Wiles, service number 12/706. He trained at Dalton Holme, Ripon and Salisbury army camps. He first served in Egypt and later in France, where he was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War to Sprottau, Germany.
On January 2nd 1918 Private Thomas Wiles 12/706 of the East Yorkshire Regiment, 12th Battalion died whilst a POW in Sprottau camp. He died there in the Military Hospital. He was the first British Prisoner of War to die there and the British prisoners organised a funeral for him. The German Kommand allowed all British prisoners to attend and photographs were taken of the event. The Prisoners also built and erected a War Memorial in Sprottau Cemetery. After the war ended Sprottau became part of Poland and its polish name is Szprotawa. After the War all bodies were moved to the War Cemetery Berlin South West.
Private Wiles name is commemorated in Berlin South Western Cemetery, VIII. C. 3. His army effects were left to his father, Matthew.
He is also commemorated on St John The Baptist Church War Memorial, Newington, Hull. Remembered by his two brothers, that lived locally. Also commemorated on the Spalding Church Memorial
