Thomas Limbert Daniel

War Service

Thomas enlisted in the army on 29.10.1914 shortly after the outbreak of war. He was given the service number 3660 in the 1/5th battalion KOYLI.
At the time of joining Thomas was living in Low Street Brotherton and described as being 5ft 4Inches tall with a chest measurement of 33 inches and being physically fit.. Other information suggests that he was employed as a miner at the time.
The following details are all taken from Thomas’s army records though may be incomplete as there was water damage to some of the sheets.
29/10/1914 - 1/5th KOYLI which was formed in August 1914 in Wakefield. Part of 3rd West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on mobilisation to Doncaster and in November 1914 to Gainsborough. Moved on to York in February 1915. 12 April 1915 landed at Boulogne. 15 May 1915 : formation became 148th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division.
29.6.1915 - actual date given for Thomas joining BEF in France.
18.11.1915 - received a gunshot wound to shoulder - no details are known of where this occurred.
25/1/1916 - posted to 3/5th Reserve Battalion which was based at Clipstone Camp near Mansfield, Notts.
19.4.1916 - was discharged from the army as “being no longer physically fit for war service”.
Thomas would have returned home to Brotherton at this point and may have resumed his former occupation, however, in March 1917 he either re-volunteered or was re-drafted having recovered sufficient health and fitness. He was enrolled in the Mechanical Transport Depot, Army Service Corps, Grove Park, London.
After joining the ASC Thomas served for almost 2 more years.
13/3/1917 - Grove Park
21/4/17 - passed ‘Learners’ Test
3/4/1918 - appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid)
17/5/18 - appointed Lance Corporal (paid)
18/5/18 - reverted to private and posted
29/5/18 - passes test as light car driver - Bullford
29/5/18 -granted compassionate leave till 3/6/18
18/6/18 - appointed Lance Corporal (paid)
18/6/18 - promoted Corporal
27/6/18 – embarked from Portsmouth on SS Hunsgate
29/6/18 – disembarked Le Havre – joined 287 Heavy Transport 4th Water Tank Company
The Water Tank Companies provided a vital support role for the frontline troops as they were responsible for bringing lorry tankers of drinking water to the forward areas for the men, and for horses.
18/1/1919 - Home (uk)
14/2/1919 – Discharged as a miner, placed on Z list.

Family Life

Thomas Limbert was a latecomer to Brotherton in that his family arrived in the village after 1911. The only mention of a ‘Daniel’ in Brotherton occurs in the Parish records with the burial of Joseph Daniel (1756 - 1815) but he lived in Church Fenton.
Thomas was born in Pontefract in 1893 and his parents were Tom Daniel, who had been born in East Hardwick about 1865 and Mary Hannah (Ann) nee Limbert (Pontefract about 1868).
In 1901 Tom and his family were living in Ashley Cottages, Carleton near Pontefract and had 5 children. These were William Henry (11), Percy M, (9), Thomas L (7), Albert Edward (5) and Walter (2). Tom was employed as a ‘Miner’.
By 1911 two further children and been added to the family - George Arthur (8) and H (6). The family had moved to Shepherd Bridge, Knottingley. Tom was still a ‘Miner’, the two oldest sons were ‘Farm Labourers’ whilst Thomas and younger brother Albert were “Glass Hands”. Other information in the 1911 Census indicates that Tom and Mary had 9 children in total but not all had survived.
After the War Thomas returned to Brotherton after the war and in 1920 married Alice Till. They had three children - Joan (1922), Olive (1924) and Eric (1932).
In September 1914 his brother William Henry had married Dorothy Ann Exley the daughter of Matthew Exley.
Tom Daniel died and was buried in Brotherton in 1933 and his wife Mary Hannah died in 1935.
Thomas Limbert Daniel died in 1981 and his widow Alice in 1985.