No.15944, Private, Thomas METSON
Aged 28
Thomas Edward Metson was born in Birdbrook (Risbridge Q2-1887 4A:600) son of Robert and Susan METSON (née LOFTS ?). They can at times be found as MITSON.
1891 census...Aged 3, he was in Birdbrook with his father Robert METSON [45] farm labourer born Finchingfield; his mother Susan [45] born Finchingfield; brothers Charles A [20] and Alfred [15] both farm labourers, born Finchingfield; sister Rosa A [13]; brothers Benjamin [10] and Frederick [1], all three born in Birdbrook. In addition other siblings were Harriet [1868], Emma [1869] and Jemima [1874] all born in Finchingfield. His father died in 1897. 1901 census...Aged 13, an errand boy, he was at Bailey Hill Farm Cottage, Birdbrook with his widowed mother (now recorded as born in Ridgewell; brothers Benjamin and Robert (farm labourers and Frederick [11]. 1911 census...Aged 23, a farm labourer, he was still in Birdbrook with his mother ( birth recorded in Ridgewell)and brothers Robert and Frederick (both farm labourers) His brother Frederick was killed serving in Belgium in the Essex Regiment in 1915. see here |
He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
The battalion on 6th August 1915 lost 442 men, killed, wounded or missing in the Suvla Bay attack, 240 of them killed, from a starting strength of around 700
His memorial stall in Birdbrook church He is also commemorated in the Congregational Church in Stambourne click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |