James Tomlinson

James was born in 1891 at Retford, the son of Joseph W. Tomlinson and Mary I his wife, of 25, Kirke St., Retford, Notts. On the 1901 census, ten year old James is living with his parents at 4 St Swithin's Place, Retford, and his father is a builder/carter; he has 5 siblings. In the 1911 census he is 20 years of age, single and a servant working as a groom/gardener for Vincent Woods, the managing director of A Ransome and Co Ltd (wood working machinery manufacturer), and living at 'Maryfield', Hall Croft Road, Retford. He worked for Mr Woods for 6 years. Prior to enlisting he was a member of the Nottinghamshire Constabulary and was stationed at Arnold, Hucknall and Warsop. Joseph and Mary had three other sons; Joseph, the eldest, was a munitions worker during the war, their second son, Harry, served in the Royal Fusiliers, and their fourth son, Sydney, was rejected for military service.

Before joining Nottinghamshire Constabulary, where he served in Arnold, Hucknall and Warsop, James was a groom and gardener for Mr V Woods in Retford.

According to the Sherwood Foresters database he was born in Retford and enlisted in Mansfield. His service record shows he attested on 25th May 1915 at Mansfield he had undergone a medical examination on 12th May 1915 at Warsop, in the medical he was measured at 6'1 inch tall 164 lbs and with a chest measurement of 37 inches. He stated he was 24 years and 90 days old and was born at Retford and his address was Ivy Cottage, Carolgate, Retford and that he was a policeman. He gave his next of kin as his father John William Tomlinson of Ivy Cottage, Carolgate, Retford. He served with the 16th Bn Chatsworth Rifles Sherwood Foresters. He was trained at various training establishments and was promoted to Sergeant on 4th June 1915. He embarked from Southampton on 6th March 1916 . Below is the report taken from the Retford Times of Feb 1917 announcing that Sergeant James Tomlinson had been missing in action since early October 1916. It is highly likely that James, 25 years of age, was killed or succumbed to wounds during an attack on Schwaben Redoubt in the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial On 18th May 1917 the Retford Times reported that, 'Mr & Mrs Tomlinson have received information from the Lichfield Record Office that the Army Council have been regretfully concluded that their third son Sergt James Tomlinson of the Notts & Derbys Regiment who had been missing since the 8th or 10th Oct last year, is dead and that his death took place on either the 8th or 10th Oct 1916. They expressed the sympathy of the Army Council in the family’s loss. Their second son Harry is in France serving with the Royal Fusiliers while Sydney the fourth son, has been rejected by the authorities at Derby. The eldest son, Joseph, is on munitions at Messrs W.J. Jenkins and Co. Ltd.'

Information on James Tomlinson has been provided courtesy of Rachel Farrand and Alan Laurie