Thomas Belt

 

Regiment: Royal Field Artillery

Thomas was born in Whitby in 1894 – the middle child of 7. He left school at 14 and worked as a farm labourer until the outbreak of war, when he immediately volunteered. He was assigned to A Battery of the CXIV Brigade Royal Artillery, which was a part of the divisional artillery for the 26th Infantry Division. The Division with its 3 infantry brigades of battalions from Scotland to Cornwall came together on Salisbury Plain in September, and spent the next 7 months equipping itself and building up from low level to brigade training. Only in July did it come together as a division and practice larger formation set pieces in preparation for deployment in September 1915. Thomas trained as a driver within his gun battery. It is not clear how he died after admission to the military hospital at Netheravon House, but he died there on 16th June 1915, and was buried in our churchyard.