L/Cpl Thomas Carlin 20 Canadian Infantry

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: CARLIN, THOMAS

Initials: T

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)

Unit Text: 20th Bn.

Age: 32

Date of Death: 29/03/1916

Service No: 57383

Additional information: Son of Philip and Mary Carlin, of 66, Starkey St., Heywood, Lancs., England.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. D. 11.

Cemetery: RIDGE WOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

& the cemetery info

Cemetery: RIDGE WOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

Country: Belgium

Locality: Ieper, West-Vlaanderen

Visiting Information: Wheelchair access possible via main entrance. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our Enquiries Department on telephone number: 01628 634221

Location Information: Ridge Wood Military cemetery is located 5 Km south west of Ieper town centre, on the Slijpstraat, a road leading from the Kemmelseweg. (Connecting Ieper to Kemmel N331). From Ieper town centre the Kemmelseweg is reached via the Rijselsestraat, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort), and straight on towards Armentieres (N365). 900 m after the crossroads is the right hand turning onto the Kemmelseweg. (Made prominent by a railway level crossing). 4 km along the Kemmelseweg on the right hand side lies Elzenwalle Military Cemetery, which marks the junction with Slijpstraat. Ridge Wood Military Cemetery lies 1 Km along the Slijpstraat, after a small staggered crossroads.

Historical Information: Ridge Wood was the name given to a wood standing on high ground between the Kemmel road and Dickebusch Lake. The cemetery lies in a hollow on the western side of the ridge and the position was chosen for a front line cemetery as early as May 1915. The first graves were from the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles and similar groups were made by the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st Canadian Battalions and the 9th Durham Light Infantry at the times when they occupied this sector. The German advance in the spring of 1918 pushed the front line back on to the ridge, and it was not till July that the wood was finally cleared by the 6th and 33rd Divisions. There are few burials from these last battles in the cemetery and the graves of some French divisions, which fought alongside Commonwealth forces in April and May, were removed to other burial grounds. The cemetery contains 619 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

No. of Identified Casualties: 595

[Will O'Brien]

According to his online Attestation papers Thomas Carlin was born on New Years Eve 1886 in Heywood, Lancashire. At the time he volunteered in November 1914 he was unmarried & a Fireman by trade. It also showed he'd previously served with the Kings Own Royal (Lancaster) Regt. Physically he was small at only 5ft 3in with a fair complexion, brown eyes & sandy hair. He was tattooed & stated his religious denomination as being Roman Catholic.

[Will O'Brien]

Checked the online war diary for the 20th Battalion. No mention of any casualties for the time Thomas died although it does confirm they were up on Ridge wood