Thomas Finnigan

Killed in Action on the 27/03/1916 during the attack on the St. Eloi craters (part of the Actions in Spring 1916)

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. Thomas arrived in France on the 26/07/1915. Thomas was Killed along with 29 of his comrades in the attack on St. Eloi Craters. Actions in the spring of 1916 : Enemy diversionary attacks around the Ypres Salient : the action of St. Eloi craters, 27th March - 16th April 1916 : St. Eloi lies on the road running south from Ypres in the direction of Messines. The 3rd Division were on warning that it must undertake an operation to take place as soon as possible after the 10th March, the mines being ready by that date. 9th Brigade was chosen although it was the only one available, the other two having been moved up to support the operations at the Bluff. At 4.15am the mines blew within a few seconds of each other and the artillery barrage joined in. The infantry barely waited the planned 30 seconds to get going. On the right the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers reached the German wire with the loss of only a single soldier; the 4th Royal Fusiliers were however hit by machine gun fire as they went over the top. German artillery responded very quickly: less than a minute after the last of the Northumberland's left the front line, shellfire began to fall on the British trenches, No Man's Land and the new craters. The support Battalions of the Brigade - 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers and 12th West Yorkshire - suffered losses from shellfire as they approached through the communication trenches, intending to move forward and consolidate the ground won. To make matters worse, it began to rain heavily, adding to water already rising in trenches, craters and shell holes following the underground destruction of a drainage system that the Germans had created. SEE PHOTOS x 11 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY FEBRUARY - MARCH 1916. The War Diary states casualties for March were - "2 Officers Died of Wounds, 4 Wounded, 27 Other Ranks Killed, 74 Wounded, 23 Missing". Thomas is also remembered on the St. Patrick's Roll of Honour (book) and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Thomas' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Menin Gate Memorial Panel List, his name on the Menin Gate Memorial, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2,Thomas' Pension Records x 2 and the Royal Scots Fusiliers Cap Badge. Finally, see photos for the 3rd Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died).