Private Joseph Granville Thomas 925183 enlisted with the 152nd Battalion on 8 January 1916. Born 14 April 1883 in Springfield, Ohio. His father, Sylvester Thomas, 26 and his mother, Mary Etta Heck, 25. A farmer from Weyburn, he married Bessie Dell Callison on 20 May 1903. His father, Sylvester and her guardian, E. O Hagen gave consent. In 1916, they had 3 boys and 4 girls. He stood 5′ 7″ tall with dark complexion, black eyes and hair.
Twice wounded on the front, when Joseph returned home, he was not the same (PTSD). Sadly, he left the family in Canada and disappeared until found in the Social Security Death index for California years after his death.
152nd Battalion
Organized in November 1915 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel S. B. Nelles. Mobilized at Weyburn, and recruited in Weyburn and Estevan.
Other Battalions were recruited out of the area as well, such as the 46th Battalion and 249th Battalion. Embarked from Halifax 4 October 1916 aboard MISSANABIE. Disembarked England 13 October 1916. With a strength of 29 officers, 743 other ranks.
Absorbed by 32nd Canadian Reserve Battalion on 21 October 1916. Disbanded 4 June 1917 by Privy Council Order 1366 and 1863 of 21 May and 6 July 1917.
Brass and bugle bands. Colours presented by Admiral Sturdee Chapter & Mrs Sherrick of Weyburn, IODE of Weyburn on 22 July 1916 at Camp Hughes.
Deposited in Canterbury Cathedral on 23 November 1916 for the duration of the war. Deposited in the Legislation Building, Regina on 6 April 1921. Perpetuated by The Saskatchewan Border Regiment and The Weyburn Regiment which, in 1936, amalgamated to form The South Saskatchewan Regiment.
5th (Western Cavalry) Battalion – Tuxford’s Dandies
Organized at Valcartier Camp in September 1914 and composed of recruits from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and also Manitoba. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel G S Tuxford, later by Lieutenant-Colonel H M Dyer DSO (6 Jan. 1916). Embarked Quebec City 26 September 1914 aboard LAPLAND, and later disembarked in England 17 October 1914 with a strength of 44 officers, 1094 other ranks and later disembarked in France 13 February 1915 with the 1st Canadian Division, 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, and later reinforced by 15th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
Private Joseph Granville Thomas entered France on 12 December 1916. The 5th Battalion currently in the trenches at Zouave Valley, near Vimy Ridge.
A 14 mile route march found the 5th Battalion at Houdain until 18 January 1917. Into billets at Bully-Grenay on 21 January 1917, and in the trenches on 24 January, relieving the 8th Canadian Infantry Battalion. The next few weeks spent alternating between the trenches and Fosse No. 10.
A total of 824 men went into the Battle of Vimy Ridge, with an estimated 14 Officers and 350 Other Ranks as casualties.
First Wound Stripe
Four casualties on 23 June 1917 as a High Explosive she;; fell on D Company. Private Joseph Granville Thomas admitted to No. 11 General Hospital, Camiers, 26 June 1917, GSW ankle, left calf, severe. Discharged from Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bromley on 31 August 1917.
First Aid being rendered
Stretcher Bearers
Medic
Taking him out
To the light railway
Trench railway
Trolly
Water
Dressing Station
Trench Fever
Trench fever, 2 July 1918 No. 7 CGH, Etaples. In mid-1915 physicians in the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France began to notice an unusual acute febrile illness in soldiers accompanied by headache, dizziness, back ache, and a peculiar pain and stiffness in the legs, particularly the shins.
Within a few months hundreds of cases had been identified clinically and, to great disappointment, laboratory studies had been unable to identify a cause. Early on, highest on the list of possibilities was a kind of enteric fever, thus, a new relative of typhoid fever. The soldiers, with rare insight, began calling it “trench fever” and their superiors eventually followed suit in the summer of 1916. Joseph discharged to Base 23 July 1918.
Second Wound Stripe
Private Joseph Granville Thomas buried by a shell at Cambrai on 27 September 1918. Admitted to No. 3 Australian General Hospital, Abbeville, 28 September 1918, shell-shock, GSW left hand.
Noted that on 4 November 1918, Joseph has not spoken. A lump found in the middle of his left thigh (old peritonitis formation of new bone) – he will require a walker, 26 November 1918. At Buxton on 13 December 1918, no disturbance of speech or swallowing. Discharged on 22 January 1919.
Private Joseph Granville Thomas sailed for Canada on 19 April 1919. Bessie and Joseph had one more child in 1920 (Pearl Agnes 1920-1999).
Joseph died on 15 February 1967, in Clarksburg, Yolo, California, United States, at the age of 83, and buried in Woodland Cemetery, Woodland, Yolo, California, United States.
Thanks to great-great-grandson Jeff Alex Thomas for inspiring this post.
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