Tommy Sizer - Michael Henshaw

Thomas William Sizer was born in 1898 and died in the battle of the Somme aged 18 on 9th October 1916. He was a rifleman in the 1st/9th Battalion Queen Victoria’s Rifles (the London Regiment).

Tommy Sizer was reported missing after his band went over the top; ninety from his company did not make it back that day and only four were ever found.

Thriepval Memorial

The Thriepval Memorial records the names of more than 72,000 servicemen who have no known grave. More than 65,000 of the men commemorated died between July and November 1916.

Thomas was born to William Sizer and Nellie (nee de Courcy) Sizer. He was the eldest of six children, his siblings being John, Winifred, Bibby, Queenie, and Geoffrey. Nellie also died in 1916 and his death notification read:

SIZER, Rfn. Thomas William, 6053. Ist Bn.Queen Victoria’s Rifles. 9th Oct., 1916. Age 18. Son of William Henry Sizer, of 14, Folkestone Rd., Walthamstow, Essex, and the late Nellie Sizer.

His name is recorded on Pillar 9, Face C of the Thriepval Memorial.

Record of T W Sizer on Thriepval Memorial

Family remembrance of Tommy almost certainly written by his sister, Winifred, at the time of celebrating the end of the Great War

Thriepval Memorial from Rue du Calvaire (D151)

Graves with no names The headstones bear the regiment and rank of unknown soldiers

Stone built into the Thriepval Memorial explaining its purpose

The Prudential Memorial

Tommy Sizer’s name is also recorded on the memorial dedicated to the memory of Prudential employees in the courtyard of the Prudential Building in Holborn. It was sculpted by F V Blundstone and unveiled on 2nd March 1922. The Building in at 138-142 Holborn, in London, but the Prudential Memorial can only be seen by going into the courtyard. Tommy Sizer’s name is recorded on one of the scrolls on the plinth.

Tommy Sizer’s name recorded on the memorial

9th Rifles of the London Regiment

The London Regiment was unusual because all its battalions were made up of Territorials. The 9th Battalion went to France on 5th November 1914 and then became part of the 169th Brigade on 10th February 1918 along with the 5th Battalion. They suffered tremendous losses in the fighting around Longueval. You can read a more detailed history of the 9th Rifles here, and the long lists of those who lost their lives on 9th October 1916 here.

Postcards to his family

Tommy wrote quite a lot of postcards to his family. At the start of the war, his sister Winifred was in hospital with appendicitis; the cards she received describe everyday matters and good wishes for her recovery. She was two years younger than Tommy. The card shown here was written on 7th August 1914, three days after Britain declared war on Germany. It gives an idea of how a sixteen year old boy regarded the impending war and the fears that people had about being attacked. He is anticipating going over to Belgium with the territorials.

Dear Win,

You had better be quick and come home because when I go over to Belgium with the Territorials, there won’t be anybody at home to cook the breakfast. I hope the Germans won’t break up the ‘appy ‘ospital while you’re in there anyway. I did hear that you were the bravest one they had ever known, but I don’t know whether its true. When you come out you ought to go out nursing the soldiers. The children came home alright and it’s a good thing they did because they say that Walton* is going to be blown up and all the people have got to go and live somewhere else. There are about 10,000 soldiers in the place and Dada nearly got shot because they thought he was a spy. Love to you from Tom and be quick and come out we miss you a jolly lot. Watsons had burglars in this afternoon after Mrs. Blewitt had gone and they stole every bally thing they could carry away (which wasn’t much, but you needn’t tell Watty that).

**probably short for Walthamstow*

7th August 1914