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During the last days of 1914 Thomas was diagnosed with Rheumatic fever and returned home from the front to recover. The rigours of war and, in particulur, the exhausiting retreat after the battle of Le Cateau could have been the cause or could have been triggers for existing heart problems. This page discusses some of the reasons why rheumatic fever was such a big issue during the early part of the 20th century and in particular the great war. Whatever the reason, this seemingly continued to plague Thomas the rest of his life.
Thomas returned to France on 29th January 1915 and was posted to 130th battery (Howitzer) R.F.A. on 2nd February 1915 where he would spend the next 11 months.
The 130th battery was originally part of the 30th brigade R.F.A which was part of 4th division during 1914 but on 9th January it left to join 27th division. From 9th January to 21st February it was part of the 27th division before moving to 5th divison.
However, this is where it gets very confusing in two regards. Firstly, on the roll of honour statement about Thomas service it states he left the european front for Mesopotamia in 1915 but in his service records there are no records of this service in 1915. He was posted to the mediteranean expeditionary force in 1916 which did go on to operate in that theatre but his service records indicate he was in France for nearly all of 1915.
Secondly, the war diaries for the 30th brigade barely mention the 130th battery in the first few months of 1915, partly due to the battery almost alway being attached to other units. Although it is clearly under the administrative order of 30th Brigade according to the brigade war diaries, no daily report is made on the 130th battery until 2nd June 1915. However, IWM hold a very interesting diary that is yet to be digitised, a diary of an unknown soldier serving with 130th battery. I have emailed IWM for more information 7/11/2022 but as yet have not heard anything back from them.
On May 6th 1915 the 130th Battery is resupplied 192 L(yddite) and 96 S(hrapnel) by the 30th Brigade ammunition column. On May 7th the diaries report that Capt. Baxter, Lt Shove, Lt Brazier-creagh and Lt Scott are all reported wounded. This causes a shuffle of officers in the Brigade as Capt Colfox, Lt Crosse, 2nd Lt Johnston and 2nd Lt Morrison are moved from other batteries and the ammunition column into 130th Battery.
On May 22nd Brazier-Creagh is struck if(sic?) strength along with Lt Scott. On May 24th Lt Shove and Capt Baxter are struck IF (sic?) strength. This seemed to be during a period of constantly active enemy shelling which preceded a German attach on the 24th May with the use of Gas. "Respirators used by Battery and kept on until 5am".
At the end of May the Brigade were placed under command of 5th Division from 3rd Division and the brigade H.Q. was moved to Dickebusch, south west of Ypres.
In June the 130th Battery come back under control of the 30th Brigade and daily reports of activity start to reappear.
| Date | Rounds | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/06/1915 | 20 | Hill 60 | |
| 03/06/1915 | 12 | New trench opposite 46 | |
| 06/06/1915 | 20 | Hill 60 | |
| 07/06/1915 | 40 | Lyddite | German work opposite 41. Germans crumped the battery, but no damage done |
| 08/06/1915 | 20 | Shrapnel | |
| 09/06/1915 | 20 | Shapnel | |
| 10/06/1915 | 20 | Shrapnel | Hill 60 |
| 11/06/1915 | 0 | did not fire | |
| 13/06/1915 | 0 | Enemy threw up red vey lights from petit bois from 9-10 pm as signal "we are attacked" | |
| 14/06/1915 | 0 | In rest | |
| 15/06/1915 | 0 | In rest | |
| 16/06/1915 | 0 | In rest | |
| 17/06/1915 | 0 | In rest | |
| 18/06/1915 | 13 | Shrapnel | Hill 60 |
| 9 | Lyddite | 2 hostile batteries registered by means of aeroplance and winders | |
| 19/06/1915 | 20 | Shrapnel | Hill 60 |
| 40 | Lyddite | Various places in the salient trenches | |
| 20/06/1915 | 6 | Shrapnel | new barricade in railway cutting 70 yards from 37 |
| 15 | Lyddite | new barricade in railway cutting 70 yards from 37 | |
| 21/06/1915 | sw not fine | ||
| 22/06/1915 | 25 | Lyddite | Hill 60 |
| 2 | Shrapnel | Hill 60 | |
| 23/06/1915 | 20 | Shrapnel | Hill 60 Centre section moved out. 10pm <sic> by one section 65th battery |
| 24/06/1915 | Rejoined 3rd Division. Went into rest near Busseboory | ||
| 25/06/1915 | In rest | ||
| 26/06/1915 | In rest | ||
| 27/06/1915 | In rest. Centre section moved up to new position 9:15pm | ||
| 28/06/1915 | 24 | Lyddite | registering |
| 2 | Shrapnel | registering | |
| 29/06/1915 | 16 | Lyddite | registering |
| 1 | Shrapnel | registering | |
| 30/06/1915 | 51 | Lyddite | registering. 130th established communications with OP by lamp. |
| 1 | Shrapnel | registering |
In the middle of May the chateau where the 130th Battery were staying was "crumped" by enemy artillery killing a horse and wounding a gunner. In total the battery fired nearly 400 artillery shells in June.
A complimentary note is also attached from for the 129th and 130th Batteries covering the period 19th April-23rd June when they were attached to 5th Division.
I should like to add my apprecieation of the good work done by 129th and 130th Batteries. Signed T.M.Morland.
This is acompanied by a note from the staff captain of the 5th division artillery.
I should like to place on record the excellent work performed by the Howitzer batteries during the time they have been on the "left group". 129 battery from 21st April to 23rd June. 130 battery from 9th April to 23rd June. All groups have worked very hard indeed and both Major Pronce and Major Robinson have been of the greatest assitance to me. I <sic> their good work has been much apprecieted by the infrantry. I much regret the casualties suffered in "the group". Lt Col W Sandys.
The diaries for July seem to be missing so the diary picks up again in August.
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