Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Great War on The Wartime Memories Project Website
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221397
Pte. Thomas Bickle
British Army 9th Btn. Devonshire Regiment
from:Liddaton
(d.26th Oct 1917)
Information has been difficult to find as there are no official records remaining, having gone up in the Blitz in WW2. From what I can find Thomas Bickle died from his wounds in the field hospital at Lijssenthoek on the 26th October 1917 and is buried in the nearby cemetery.
During the 7th October, 9th Devons were part of 7th Division's supporting the ANZAC's attack on Broodseinde Ridge, starting on the left flank of Polygon Wood. I can only imagine that Thomas was injured at some stage of the battle and was evacuated eventually to Lijssenthoek.
He was one of 5 sons, his brother Albert was killed in Mesopotamia and is commemorated on the Tehran War Memorial as he has no known grave.
My mother said that her great grandfather had both their names inscribed on his shaving mirror so that he would always be reminded of them.