Bamforth Thomas Pte. 4456999
Personnel Entry
Name Bamforth Thomas
Army number 4456999
Rank Pte.
Decorations None known so far.
Date of birth Date not yet known definitively, but birth registration took place in Durham of a Thomas Bamford in 1920, according to Ancestry.co.uk research, with a mother's maiden surname of Paterson. This appears to be the correct birth but has not yet been confirmed by further research. No confirming entry was found on the Durham County Council website.
Age
Unit Joined The Durham Light Infantry. No enlistment date as yet, but probably Spring 1939, judging by his Regimental Number. Posted to the 6th Bn DLI. Posted to the 10th Bn DLI - probably on the establishment of the second-line Battalion. Served B.E.F. Taken Prisoner of War May 1940. Notification of PoW status received 12/7/1940. Repatriated to the UK post-war. Posted to ? Bn DLI. Discharged under King's Regulations 1940 Para 390 (xvi) 9/2/1946.
Company/Battery C Company.
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role
Joined Brigade Probably 1/9/1939.
Promotions None known so far.
Wounded Not so far as is known.
Prisoner of War Camps 1VC and 4C PoW Number 2785.
Died/Killed in action Died Thursday 30th May 2019.
Home address Son of James and Annie Bamforth. Lived, at the time of the 1939 General Register, at 49 Bessemer Terrace, Mount Pleasant, Spennymoor, County Durham. In the early 2000's lived at 39, Princess Court, Spennymoor. Resident in the Royal Hospital, Chelsea as at July 2016.
Source table 10DLI
I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr Tommy Bamforth, then aged 94, at Durham, during the DLI Reunion Weekend on 13th September 2014, and he was able to confirm some of the above details. Delighted to find another surviving 70th Brigade Veteran.
Very sad to hear the news from Geordie Williams (nephew) of Tommy's death - peacefully in his sleep - on Thursday 30th May 2019. Faithful.
