Thomas Edward Baldry

A Lance Corporal with 9th Bn., Thomas died on 14th of September 1916 at the age of 21. 

Thomas was born at Lowestoft in 1895, a son of Frederick John and Hannah Baldry. In 1901 his family lived at 16 Haward Street, Lowestoft. In 1911 his family lived at 55 Haward Street and Thomas was a carpenter's apprentice.  

Thomas enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He served with the Suffolk Regiment. 

Colonel Murphy’s ‘The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927’ has the following account of the 9th Battalion’s attack at The Quadrilateral 13 September 1916:

The battalion took part in an attack by the 61st Division on the Quadrilateral., the 71st Brigade being on the left and the 16th on the right. The 9th Battalion attacked with three companies in the front line and one in support, zero being 6.20 a.m. The battalion got through the German out post line quite easily, but on gaining the open ground, which stretched for about four hundred yards to the enemy’s wire, came under a terrific machine-gun fire from the formidable strong point known as the Quadrilateral. Across this bare expanse the men struggled bravely forward. Lieutenant Macdonald with others getting close enough to throw a bomb into the German stronghold before being wounded. No further progress could, however, be made. At 7.30 a.m. another attack, in which A Company participated, was launched; and in the evening a third. Stil no entrance could be effected. The battalion therefore, in touch with the units on both flanks, dug itself in on a line about half a mile in front of the jumping off trenches of the morning.  

The Battalion’s casualties were: officers 2 killed and 10 wounded; other ranks 15 killed and 185 wounded. 

Thomas died from his wounds the next day: most probably at No 21 Casualty Clearing Station.

Thomas' brother Henry died in 1916 whilst serving with the 7th King's Shropshire Light Infantry and his brother Frederick died in 1917 whilst serving with the 11th Battalion Suffolk Regiment.