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A Diamond Fields Artillery man who deserted in WWI - Thomas Blackley 8 years 3 weeks ago #46096
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Thomas Blackley
Driver, Diamond Fields Artillery – Anglo Boer War Private, 4th Dragoons (Cavalry) – WWI - Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal to DVR. T. BLACKLEY, DIAMOND FIELDS ARTY. Tom Blackley was your average Joe. What makes him stand out from the crowd was that, having been through the Boer War and having fought hard and been wounded in World War 1 he threw it all away by deserting, thereby forfeiting any claim he had to medals he had so obviously earned. Born in Liverpool in the County of Lancashire in 1882 the son of John Blackley, a General labourer and Brickmaker by occupation and his wife Isabella; he was baptised in Preston on July 5th of 1883 with his residential address provided as 11 Maynard Street, Preston. According to the 1891 England census the family lived at 4 Norris Street in Preston and Thomas, now aged 10, was joined by his parents and siblings Robert (19), John (17) and Jane (13). At some point between then and the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War in October 1899 Blackley decided that he was going to move to South Africa. Characterised by the press in England as one of the “lands of opportunity” working class Victorians were regarding the new found mineral wealth of the Witwatersrand as a means to make a living and a fresh start under the African son with many heading south to work either on the gold mines of Johannesburg or on the diamond mines in Kimberley in the Cape Colony. A young Blackley was no exception and most likely found himself in or near Kimberley when the war broke out. Missing out on the siege which took place there from late 1899 until early 1900, he enlisted with the Diamond Fields Artillery on 14 August 1900 as a Driver and was assigned no. 248 From May 1900 to May 1901 a section of the Diamond Fields Artillery was in the garrison of Boshof which successfully held that town and repelled many attacks and it is very likely, with his combination of clasps that Blackley was among their number. Among the numerous columns at work during the second phase of the war was one known as the Kimberley Column, which for some months was composed as follows: 74th Squadron Imperial Yeomanry, 125; Kimberley Light Horse, 94; Dennison's Scouts, 81; Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 20; Volunteer Company of the Northumberland Fusiliers, 102; 3rd Leinsters, 100; 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, 38; 2 guns of the 38th Battery RFA; and 13 men of the Diamond Fields Artillery with a maxim. During 1901 this column under Major Paris long operated in the west of the Orange River Colony, and was also at work in the south-west of the Transvaal. On 2nd August 1901 Captain G C Gory Smith, of the KLH, was wounded at Zwartputs, and there were several other casualties on this occasion. In 1902 the Diamond Fields Horse and Artillery still kept the field and were in many engagements. Major Paris's column was part of Lord Methuen's force in his disastrous engagement of 7th March 1902. In his report Lord Methuen said that the column before being reinforced at Vryburg consisted of the 86th Imperial Yeomanry, 110 men; Diamond Fields Horse, 92; Dennison's Scouts, 58; Ashburner's Light Horse, 126; 2 guns 38th Battery; 1 pom-pom of the Diamond Fields Artillery. In the fighting on the 7th the Kimberley troops suffered very severely, the Diamond Fields Horse having about 20 casualties and the Artillery detachment had several killed and wounded. For his efforts Blackley was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal. He was also awarded the Kings Medal but this seems to have been returned to the authorities. Returning to civilian life Blackley took up the occupation of Motor Driver and it was in this occupation we find him when he took passage back to England from Cape Town, South Africa. Docking in London on 17 May 1914 he was to find that England was mere months away from the War to end all Wars with Germany and her Allies. August 4th 1914 saw the commencement of hostilities and Blackley, with the Boer War fresh in his mind, enlisted for service with the 4th Dragoons on 18 August at Newport in Monmouthshire, Wales. He confirmed on his Short Service (for 3 years) Attestation form that he had previous service with the Diamond Fields Artillery and that he was a General Labourer by occupation. Lying about his age (so many did) he claimed to be 29 years and 180 days old. Physically he was a small man with height of 5 feet 3 inches and weighing a slender 118 pounds. He had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. By way of distinctive marks about his person (this was required in the event of his demise in order to identify his remains) he sported two scars on his right leg. Having been passed as Fit by the Doctor he was assigned no. 9879 and the rank of Private. Moving from the Depot to the 4th Dragoons on 25 August Blackley embarked for the theatre of war on 15 September 1914 and was soon in on the action. On 21 October 1914 at an undisclosed location he received a bullet wound to his left thigh and to his shoulder incapacitating him. Admitted to No. 10 Field Ambulance on the same day he was transferred to first No. 11 General Hospital at Boulogne before being transferred to England for recovery aboard the “Carisbrooke Castle” on 2 November 19914. After discharge he was scheduled to re-join his regiment for active service on 5 December 1914 but this is where things started to go horribly wrong for Blackley – he deserted – a crime which carried severe punishment should the offender be found. Initially there was confusion amongst the authorities – some had his force number as his old Boer War Number 248 whereas he was Number 9879 as per his attestation. His Regimental H.Q. at Canterbury wrote to the O.C Remounts Depot at Romsey in Hants. (It appears that Blackley was seconded to them pending posting back to the front) stating that, “No. 248 is apparently the wrong number. Herewith documents of No. 9879 which appear to refer to the man in question, Private Thomas Blackley” this was dated 27 May 1915. On 18 June 1915 the O.C “C” Squadron of the 4th Dragoons wrote to the O.C. Remount Depot asking, “Will you kindly state the date of absence of Pte. T. Blackley recently under your command and who did not return to strength on our detachment on 29 May 1915. The reply to this came on 21 June and read thus, “T. Blackley absented himself on the 25th May 1915 and has not since returned. He is now being declared a Deserter by Court of Enquiry.” This Court of Enquiry, assembled at Tidworth had found him to be deficient in a number of articles both “Necessities” and “Personal Clothing” On 15 June 1915 the matter had been addressed to Francis Caldwell, the Head Constable of Liverpool whose job it was to track down the elusive man. Possibly as a result of the confusion over his number or, more likely, the pressures of work during war-time, it was to be a full year before effect was given to request to track down Blackley - it became the task of Constable Walshe, no. 114 D, to find Blackley – he reported, on 14 June 1916, as follows, “Army enquiry re: Thomas Blackley I beg to report that at 11 a.m. 9 June 1916 (a year after Blackley had made a run for it) I called at 15 Hankin Street and saw Mrs Redder, who stated that Thos. Blackley is her nephew but she has not seen him for the past two years and she does not know where he is at present residing. I made enquiry in the District but was unable to trace this man. I will make further enquiries about him.” Blackley had disappeared into the ether and, even now, some 100 years later, no further evidence of him can be found. Did he die under mysterious circumstances? What could have become of him? Questions the answers to which we will never know. Sadly, despite going through the horrors of the first few months of the war and being wounded in the process Blackley forfeited, by virtue of his desertion, any claim to medals he rightly earned. Having been deployed on 15 September 1914 he qualified for the 1914 “Mons” Star as well as the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Alongside each entry on the various rolls stands the words “No Medal” – Deserted. A sad outcome indeed. 
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A Diamond Fields Artillery man who deserted in WWI - Thomas Blackley 8 years 3 weeks ago #46097
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A Diamond Fields Artillery man who deserted in WWI - Thomas Blackley 8 years 2 weeks ago #46111
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A Diamond Fields Artillery man who deserted in WWI - Thomas Blackley 8 years 2 weeks ago #46114
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A Diamond Fields Artillery man who deserted in WWI - Thomas Blackley 8 years 5 days ago #46362
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A Diamond Fields Artillery man who deserted in WWI - Thomas Blackley 8 years 5 days ago #46369
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