Thomas Blacklock

A Corporal with the 5th Battalion, Thomas died on 26th of June 1918 at the age of 29. 

Thomas was born at Langholm, Dumfriesshire, in 1889, a son of Thomas and Jane Blacklock. In 1891 his family lived at 3A Eskdaill Street, Langholm, and in 1901 at Skipperscleuch Cottage, Langholm.  

Thomas enlisted in the Army at Glasgow. He joined the Lovats Scouts, service number 3137. He served with either the 2/1st or 2/2nd Lovat Scouts and in November 1916 these were merged to form the 1st (Lovats Scouts) Cyclist Regiment based at Lowestoft.

On 22 December 1917 Thomas married Eva Blanch Hunt at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley. Thomas was a serving soldier and they both resided at Kirkley. Their home was at 15 Kirkley Street. Subsequently Thomas was transferred to the Cameron Highlanders and posted to France to join the 5th Battalion. 

On 25 June 1918 the 5th Battalion moved into front line trenches in the Meteren Sector. During the next few days the battalion sent out patrols, formed working parties and was subject to enemy shelling, but the battalion war diary records no casualties. Thomas was killed in action and is buried at a cemetery near Hazebrouck which suggests either that he was detached from the battalion when he died, perhaps as a messenger or collecting supplies.    

Eva moved to 325 Shardon Crescent, Edinburgh, before returning to Lowestoft. In 1920 Eva married Ernest Stevens and later they lived at La Linea, Carlton Road.