Thomas Carsley
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Introduction
Very little is known of Thomas Carsley's upbringing. We know he was born around 1880 but in the 1881 census he does not appear with his Mother, Fanny whom it seems only has one child called Eliza. In the 1891 census he is living aged 10 with his Grandmother and his Mother by this time married to Samuel Burrows is living next door. In the 1911 census Thomas is living with his Mother and his occupation is down as a general labourer. |
KSLI Badge
Labour Corps Badge
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Military Record including Regimental and Battalion Information
It is thought that Private Thomas Carsely enlisted between the 3rd & 7th September 1914 and it is most likely that his enlistment was at Oswestry. He joined the 6th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry a war-raised Service Battalion, formed in Shrewsbury in September 1914 which was posted to the 60th Brigade of the 20th Division. After training at Aldershot and Larkhill he landed at Boulogne on 23nd July 1915 with the 6th Battalion KSLI, a Battalion that was to fight entirely on the Western Front. The Battalion was involved straight from the off and during the Battle of Loos at L'Epinette he was wounded on or close to the 25th September 1915. The Battalion War Diary for the 25th September is below and shows that they were under heaving shelling, musketry and machine gun fire throughout the day. |
Unfortunately after this date their is no way of telling whether he returned to his unit after injury, or served with any other K.S.L.I. Battalion? We do know that at some point he was transferred to the Labour Corps and it is likely this was the result of his wounds.
Battalion Information
The 6th fought at Loos in September 1915, around Ypres in 1916 (where it releived the 1st Battalion) and then on the Somme, including the capture of Guillemont.
It fought at Langemarck (3rd Ypres) in August 1917 and on the Menin Road, Ypres, in September. Served against the Hindenburg Line near Cambrai at the end of the year and throughout the German Spring Offensive in 1918, seeing severe fighitng at St. Quentin.
The 6th fought at Loos in September 1915, around Ypres in 1916 (where it releived the 1st Battalion) and then on the Somme, including the capture of Guillemont.
It fought at Langemarck (3rd Ypres) in August 1917 and on the Menin Road, Ypres, in September. Served against the Hindenburg Line near Cambrai at the end of the year and throughout the German Spring Offensive in 1918, seeing severe fighitng at St. Quentin.
Census data
1891 Census show him living with his Grandmother and next door to his Mother who's name is now Burrows
1911 Census - Trefonen with Mother and Step Brothers
Memorial and War Grave Information
Photo by Chris Woods -11/11/2016
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Private Thomas Carsley
12285 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry Labour Corps 212273 is buried in Trefonen Churchyard Cemetery. His step brother John Samuel Burrows who was also killed in the Great War is also remembered on his gravestone. The gravestone is adorned with the KSLI Regimental Crest. |