Thomas Vernon Aaron
Date of birth: 1894
Date of death: 2.12.1916
Area: Wrenthorpe
Regiment: King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Family information: Son of William and Ann Aaron of School Lane, Wrenthorpe
Rank: Corporal
Service number: 2439
War Service
Thomas enlisted at Wakefield in September 1914, serving as Corporal 2439 in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 1st / 4th D Company. He arrived in France on 13th April 1915 according to his medal record card and he was killed on 2nd December 1916. He is buried in the Bienvillers Military Cemetery and later Thomas was awarded the 14/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The entry for the Battalion War Diary on 2nd December 1916 states
“BIENVILLERS Enemy Trench mortared our front line heavily. Casualties : 4 O.R. killed, 1 wounded”
The “O.R.” stands for other ranks as only officers who were killed were generally named in the diaries.
The report in the Wakefield Express was as follows
“WRENTHORPE SOLDIER KILLED
News has been received by Mr Aaron of School Lane Wrenthorpe of the death on the 2nd inst of his son Corporal Thos Aaron (22) of the KOYLI. The sad news was conveyed in a letter to deceased’s parents from the Colonel who said that Corporal Aaron was killed by a shell explosion, death being instantaneous.
Deceased joined the colours in September 1914 and had been at the front over 20 months. Before enlisting he was employed by Messrs E. Green & Son.”
His effects were left to father William and a memorial service was held at St Anne’s on 17th December.
Family Life
Thomas was born on 28th May 1894 and baptised in a Non-Conformist Chapel in the Pontefract District on 12th July of that year. They were living at Knottingley at the time and his father William was a butcher. By 1901 he was living with his parents William and Ann in Beck Road, Wrenthorpe with his birthplace being given as Knottingley. Father William was now listed as a plasterer’s labourer also born in Knottingley while his mum Ann was born in Methley. In the 1911 census they were living in School Lane, Wrenthorpe and Thomas had now got a brother called Admiral Pepper Aaron, ten years his junior. Thomas, now aged 16, was working as a labourer while his father was now a house painter.
Bienvillers Military Cemetery
