Thomas Comer
| Thomas Comer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1892 |
| Died |
23 September 1915 (aged 22–23) at a Red Cross Station behind the lines |
| Cause of death | Severe chest wounds |
| Resting place | Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery |
| Education | Tower Road School, Boston Grammar School (?-1911); St Mark’s College, Chelsea |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Employer | Alvey School, Sleaford; Royal Artillery |
| Parents | Comer (headmaster of Tower Road School) |
Thomas Comer was born in Boston in 1892 and was educated at Tower Road School and Boston Grammar School. He won many prizes for exceptional proficiency in his work. He was keenly fond of sport, especially cricket, football, swimming, tennis and rowing - a true “all rounder”.
He left school in 1911 age 18, went to St Mark’s College, Chelsea and after 2 years qualified as a teacher. His first teaching post was at Alvey School, Sleaford. War broke out in 1914 and in the November he volunteered for the Army and joined the Royal Artillery. The following year his battery of the Royal Field Artillery was sent to France and before long moved up into the fighting line.
Within a few months, on 23rd September 1915, Thomas died of wounds in a Red Cross Station behind the lines. The nursing sister-in-charge wrote to his parents:
Thomas was admitted suffering severe wounds in chest, back and arm. He died shortly after being admitted. He was unconscious and so suffered no pain.
His Commanding Officer wrote to his father:
I very much regret to inform you of the death of your son, Gunner Comer, which occurred at 3.45pm on September 23rd as a result of gunshot wounds received at 1.OOpm the same day whilst assisting the Captain to take observations of the enemy’s gunfire.
They had together climbed up to the rafters of a ruined house and were observing between the tiles when a high-explosive shell burst immediately over them. Your son was hit in the chest and arm but managed to climb down and send assistance to the Captain who was badly hit. He was extremely brave and though severely wounded, his chief concern was for the Captain to be fetched down and attended to. He will be much missed in the Battery, and to me he is a personal loss as I have not met a more willing worker, always cheerful and always keen in whatever he undertook.
His death is the first to be sustained by the Battery.
(signed) JAMES J READ, MAJOR