My mother had few memories of her cousin, Thomas, who was so much older than her. But I clearly remember the framed photograph of the nephew she loved dearly my grandmother had hanging on the wall above the fireplace in her little terraced house.
Thomas was a remarkable young man. The son of a labourer in the steel works here, he shone at primary school and was awarded a scholarship to attend the local grammar school, the first in the family to to do so (I turned out to be the second), where he proved himself to be an excellent all-rounder, becoming head boy, achieving outstanding exam results and winning an award of £60 to study at Cambridge University.
After staying on at school for an extra year as a pupil-teacher, he went off to Pembroke College, Cambridge where he continued to excel academically and graduated with a First Class Honours degree in natural sciences.
A Captain in the 7th Battalion, the East Yorkshire Regiment, Thomas died at the head of his company, aged 23 years, on 10th July, 1916, near Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme.
Remembering also my dad's Uncle Harry, who was killed, similarly aged 23 years, in the same week during the same battle.
These two young men are my connection to the appalling events of July 1916.
To them, and to all the other brave souls who gave so much, my heartfelt thanks.