Thomas Hickey

Thomas was born on 11th February 1889 in Sneinton and was the youngest surviving son of George Hickey and Mary Elizabeth Hickey néé Mooney. His father was born in 1860 in Nottingham and his mother Mary Elizabeth Mooney was born on 22nd March 1862 in Balbriggan, Dublin. They were married in Nottingham in 1881 and had 13 children, sadly however nine of these children died in infancy or childhood and their remaining 4 children, all born in Nottingham, were; George b1886, Robert b1888, Thomas b1889 and Hilda b1896. In 1901 census we find the family living at 9 Elliott Street off Derby Road, Mary Elizabeth is 38 yrs , head of the family and a lace hand, she is living with her four children, George is not at the address. Thomas joined the Royal Navy in 1907 but deserted the following year and was discharged after completing his prison sentence (see 'extra information'). In the 1911 census his mother Mary Elizabeth is now shown as a housekeeper, 48 yrs and married. She is living and acting as housekeeper to her brother William Knowles 44 yrs a greengrocer at 18 Burwell Street, Hyson Green, also with her at the address are her children Robert 23 yrs single and a coal miner and Hilda 14 yrs a cigarette maker. In the same census we find his father George 52 yrs , married living at a lodging house at 9 Cherry Street, Nottingham, he is a clerk in a warehouse and is living with a number of other men in the boarding house. Also in the 1911 census we find Thomas himself, he is shown as being a soldier single, 22 yrs, and is with the 2nd battalion Lincolnshire Regiment which is in barracks at Fort Gomer, Alverstoke, Gosport. His father George dies in Nottingham in 1917, he was 58 years of age. Thomas marries Nellie Miller at the Roman Catholic Church in Nottingham on 29th March 1915, and they lived at 62 St Pauls Ave, Hyson Green.

He was a clipper in a colliery when he joined the Royal Navy in 1907. In 1910 when he joined the Lincolnshire Regiment he was a carter.

Hyson Green

Private Thomas Hickey, enlisted at Aldershot on 26th March 1910. He gave his date of birth as 1892 and his age as 18 years and 1 month. He stated he had been born in Sneinton and was a carter. On his medical examination it was noted he had a tattoo of a Japanese woman on his left upper arm and various other tattoos on his other arm. He served with the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, landed in France on 5th November 1914. He was reported wounded on 8th December 1914 by a gun shot wound to his shoulder, for which he was returned to England for treatment; he was evacuated by ambulance train and then hospital ship, St Patrick. He was re embarked on 18th December 1915 and rejoined his battalion at the front on 2 January 1916. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 27th May 1916. He was killed in action on the Somme on 23rd October 1916. Following his death it was announced in the London Gazette that he had been awarded the military medal. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Thomas Hickey joined the Royal Navy on 6th April 1907. He gave his date of birth as 11th February 1889, he was 18 years of age. It was noted that he had a tattoo of a female on his left forearm and a further tattoo of Buffalo Bill and a sailor on his right arm. He signed on for 12 years - 5 years regular service and 7 years in reserve - and served in the following ships and shore establishments as a Stoker 2nd Class; HMS Nelson, 6 April 1907-15 July 1907; HMS Terrible, 16 July 1907-29 November 1907, (Cells 14 days), 14 December -4 March 1908; Victory II, 5 March 1908-5 March 1908; (HMS Bonaventure), 6 March 1908-25 November 1908. His record is marked ‘Run 25 November 1908’. The service document is damaged and the details relating to his desertion are in part obscured: ‘Run 25.11.08. Bonaventure (-). N.L./13579/15.12.08 (-) discharge (-) after … days HL [hard labour] (-) free but to be deported(?). Recovered (-) sentenced (-).’ It therefore appears that he was apprehended after he deserted, was sentenced and then discharged from the Royal Navy after completing his sentence, 'services no longer required.' Within his army service record there is a written confession made by Private Thomas Hickey. It was dated 16th July 1910, it was headed 'Confession of false answer on attestation' and in it he admits that when he enlisted at Aldershot on 26th March 1910 he had failed to notify the fact that he had already previously served as a Private in the 4th battalion Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment and had been discharged from that Regiment on 18th February 1909 following a sentence of 90 days detention (there is no indication as to the reason for his 90 days detention.) Admission of previous army service, 'Confession of fake answer on Attestation. I Thomas Hickey now being No 8890 Private Thomas Hickey 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire regiment, do hereby confess that I was (-) in the 4th Battalion Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment and that I was attested for the (-) after having completed my (-) on enlistment (-) and that I was discharged after having been sentenced to 90 days (-) on the 18th February 1909. Further that I was attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment at Aldershot on the 26th March 1910 and stated that I had not served in the military or Royal Navy. Aldershot 16.7.1910.’ The document is stamped ‘Orderly Room, 2nd Bn Lincoln Regt 17 Jul 1910.’ On the 19th July 1910 his commanding officer Lt Colonel F C Lloyd (officer commanding 2nd battalion Lincolnshire Regiment) wrote to the Brigade Major 5th Infantry Division informing him of Hickey's confession and asking if he could be dealt with by the battalion due to the fact that while Hickey had been with the regiment only four months he had been of good character during that time. Although no reply is present on his army service record it would appear that the matter was dealt with by his commanding officer Lt Colonel F C Lloyd as Hickey remained in the battalion until his death. Letter 18 July 1910 from Lt Col, i/c 2nd Bn Lincolnshire Regiment to Brigade Major 5th Infantry Brigade, ‘Sir, I have the honour to forward a confession made by the man whose name is marginally noted [Hickey, Lincolnshire Regiment]. The man made the confession under the misapprehension that he would be able to avail himself of the King’s pardon. He has only been with the Battalion for about 4 months but is a well behaved man, and I think likely to do well. In these circumstances I hope that I may be allowed to deal with the case. I have the honour to be Sir, Your obedient servant, (name not clear on record)’ Both of his brothers Robert and George both served with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment and both survived the Great War