Lance Corporal Thomas Bryan VC

Lance Corporal Thomas Bryan VC

 

A War Hero In Bentley

While I was researching Arksey cemetery I came across a reference to a grave belonging to Lance Corporal Thomas Bryan. He was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1917, so I decided to find out a bit more about him and how he became the proud recipient of the highest military decoration in existence.

Contents

• Background
• Army Days
• The Battle Of Arras
• An Act Of Heroism
• VC Presentation
• Life After The Army
• Memorials
• The Victoria Cross Trail

Background

  

Thomas Bryan was born in Lye, near Stourbridge, Worcestershire on the 21st of January 1882. As an infant, he moved with his family to Castleford, and was educated at the Potteries Council School. Thomas married Sarah Smart on the 26th of December 1903 in Castleford. They had five children, two boys and three girls, but sadly one of the girls died at the age of 23 months.

Thomas worked as a miner at the Whitwood Colliery, and was also well-known as a Rugby player for Castleford Northern Rugby Union.

Army Days

Thomas enlisted into the Army in April 1915, in Castleford. Eight months later he was drafted into service in France where he joined the Northumberland Fusiliers 25th Service Battalion (2nd Tyneside Irish). In the summer of 1916 Thomas fractured his ankle and had to be sent home to recover. He returned to France in December 1916, where he was drafted into another service battalion. In March 1917 he was promoted to Lance Corporal, and it was his actions during the events of the following month which would lead to him being awarded the VC.

Thomas Bryan

The Battle Of Arras

The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War, lasting from the 9th of April to the 16th of May 1917. A strategic success, it involved troops from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Newfoundland. Casualties numbered 158,000 on the allied side, while German casualties totaled 120,000 to 130,000. 

An Act Of Heroism

On the 9th of April 1917 an enemy machine gun, well hidden and undetectable by British troops was inflicting much damage. Thomas Bryan decided to put a stop to it and crept over the top. Using shell holes as cover, he crossed No Mans Land and entered a communications trench held by the enemy. Bryan surprised three German soldiers who promptly surrendered and were sent back to base with some of Bryan's men. Bryan went forward again and took another two Germans without trouble. Some time later, and still trying to get a fix on the machine gun, he was spotted by the enemy who opened fire, wounding Bryan in the right arm. Bryan sent some rapid fire in the direction he thought the machine gun was placed. To his delight, the machine gun was abandoned and two enemy soldiers were seen trying to get away. Bryan shot them both. With the gun and gunners destroyed it cleared the way for the British advancement.

VC Presentation

His Majesty King George V presented Thomas Bryan with the Victoria Cross on the 17th of June 1917, at St James's Park, Newcastle, in front of a crowd of more than 40,000. Later that same month, Bryan was admitted to Alnwick Hospital for treatment on his wounded arm. 

King George V presents Thomas Bryan with the VC

Life After The Army

Thomas Bryan was discharged from the Army on the 16th of September 1918. In 1920 he attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace, for recipients of the VC, and also attended the dedication ceremony at the cenotaph in Whitehall, and the burial of the Unknown Soldier at Westminster Abbey.

Thomas Bryan returned to the mines of Castleford after the war, and in 1934 moved to Doncaster where he found work at Askern Colliery. Despite his ill health due to war wounds and the effects of being gassed in the trenches, Thomas owned and ran a greengrocers in Bentley. 

Thomas and Sarah Bryan in later life

Thomas Bryan died at his home at number 44 Askern Road, Bentley on the 13th of October 1945. He was buried at Arksey Cemetery on the 17th of October with full military honours. 

 

Memorials

The grave of Thomas Bryan can be found in section J of Arksey Cemetery, number 237, it is engraved with a Victoria Cross. Thomas Bryan's grave was the catalyst for the formation of the Victoria Cross Trust, and his grave is now in their care. 

The memorial in Arksey cemetery

There are also three memorials to Thomas Bryan in Castleford which include a memorial plaque at Castleford Civic Centre, a street named Bryan Close, and on a memorial erected to 150 Castleford men honoured for their actions in the Great War. 

Thomas Bryan's VC is now on show in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery of the Imperial War Museum, London.

Thomas Bryan's Medals

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The Victoria Cross Trail

Lance Corporal Thomas Bryan's memorial forms part of the Victoria Cross Trail, which is a trail devised by the Victoria Cross Trust to explore the history of six VC winners in South Yorkshire. 

A leaflet was produced in 2017 mapping out the trail, and I worked to provide the Victoria Cross Trust with some background information for this.

Trail leaflets

The piece on Thomas Bryan from the leaflet

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For Valour

Memorial to Thomas Bryan

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Alison Vainlo 

First written 2014, updated 2020