Trafford

Born at Manchester in 1895, the son of John & Sarah Denneny (nee
Fitzpatrick)

1901 Census - 8 Bank Lane, Pendleton.     Son - aged: 5 - born: Salford.   
Head of household - John Denneny - Married - aged: 40 - occ: Gas Stoker on
Borough Council - born: Co Longford Ireland.    Also - Sarah Denneny - Wife
- aged: 38 - born: Manchester.    Plus 3 brothers and his maternal
grand-mother.   Family listed as "DENNERLY".

1911 Census - Irwell Brows, Eccles.    Son - aged: 15 - occ: Labourer in
Shell Motor - born: Manchester.    Head of household - John Denneny -
Married - aged: 51 - occ: Gas Stoker on Borough Council - born: Ardagh, Co
Longford Ireland.    Also - Sarah Denneny - Wife - aged: 48 - born:
Manchester.    Plus 3 brothers.

Married Florence Lockett at St. John's P.C., Irlam, during the December
quarter 1917 in the Barton upon Irwell R.D. - ref: 8c/946.

M.I. - "Their glory shall not be blotted out".

I am most grateful to Neil Drum & Pete Thomas for allowing me to use
verbatim the following extract from their superb 623 page book "A District
at War - Irlam & Cadishead's Part in the Great War", an incredibly detailed
and comprehensive book that is not only a credit to them, but a magnificent
memorial to the WW1 men of that district.

Served with the 7th (Service) Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince
Consort?s Own), 41st Brigade, 14th Division.

He was born in Hulme, Manchester, the son of John and Sarah Denneny who
later lived at Irwell Brow Farm, Eccles.   He was employed as a labourer at
the British Westinghouse Company in Trafford Park.

Thomas enlisted into the Army at Manchester on 2nd September 1914, joining
the
Rifle Brigade.   His service record described him as 5 foot 6½ inches
tall, weighing 132lb, with blue eyes, brown hair, a scar under the left
corner of his left eye and a mole on the left groin.   His denomination was
Roman Catholic. 

On 14th September 1914 he was posted to the 6th (Reserve) Battalion
stationed at Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey.   On 29th January 1915 he
was posted to the British Expeditionary Force in France.   On 2nd March he
was admitted to the 81st Field Ambulance suffering from frostbite and three
days later he was admitted to No. 11 Stationary Hospital at Rouen.   The
next day he boarded a hospital ship and returned to England.

On 3rd May 1915 Thomas returned to France and joined the 3rd Battalion.  
Two weeks later, on 17th May, he suffered a gunshot wound to the hand.   On
1st June he was admitted to No. 13 General Hospital and on the next day he
boarded the hospital ship SS Brighton bound for England.   On 27th July he
was absent from reporting to the 6th Battalion at Sheerness after sick
leave until 10.30pm on 31st July.   He was punished with ten days confined
to barracks.

On 29th October he was absent from camp from Tattoo until 9.20pm and was
confined to barracks for three days. On 19th November he was absent from
parade at 7am, and received a further five days confined to barracks.   On
22nd November he was reported for being absent from defaulters parade and
also telling an untruth to a Non-Commissioned Officer.  The next day he was
confined to barracks for fourteen days. On 18th December he was absent when
on final leave until 11.30am on 27th December.   When he returned he was
sentenced to twenty-four days confined to barracks.   On 31st December he
was absent from parade at 6.45am and was confined for fourteen days and
forfeited twenty-one days? pay.

On 13th January 1916 he embarked from Folkestone for France, and on 17th
January joined his battalion in the field.   On 9th June he was appointed
unpaid Lance Corporal and paid Lance Corporal on 29th June.   On 3rd
September he received a gunshot wound to his chest and left side and was
admitted to 14 Casualty Clearing Post.   On 8th September he was evacuated
back to England on hospital ship SS Asturia.   Following recovery he was,
on 19th October, posted to the 6th Battalion again.   The battalion was now
stationed at Eastchurch where it remained until the end of the war.  On
22nd December he was reverted to the rank of Rifleman for misconduct.   On
29th December he embarked from Southampton, arriving in France the next
day, and joined 47 Infantry Base Depot.

On 20th February 1917 he was posted to "A? Company, 12th Battalion. On 12th
March he was absent from church parade and lost two days? pay.   On 28th
March he was admitted to No. 60 Field Ambulance with suspected dysentery
and three days later he was admitted to No. 38 Casualty Clearing Station.  
On 1st April he was admitted to No. 25 Stationary Hospital, Rouen where he
remained until 19th April when he was invalided to England on board
hospital ship SS Grantully Castle.   The next day he was admitted to
Addington Park War Hospital where he was a patient until 11th May.   He
then transferred to the Divisional Dysentery Convalescent Hospital, located
near to New Milton, Hampshire, where he remained convalescing until 1st
June.   On 12th June he was posted to the 6th (Reserve) Battalion. On 4th
September he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal and later reverted to
rifleman for misconduct.   However he was again later appointed unpaid
Lance Corporal. In December 1917 he married Florence Lockett at Irlam
Parish Church and they set up home at 12 Liverpool Road, Irlam.   On 28th
December 1917 he again lost his stripe by order of the Commanding Officer
because of absence.

On 25th January 1918 whilst still with the 6th Battalion at Eastchurch he
was tried by District Court Martial on two charges of "when on active
service failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by Commanding
Officer.?   He was sentenced to fourteen days detention, which was remitted
by the General Officer Commanding Sheppey District to seven days.   On 30th
January his daughter, Madge, was born.   On 3rd February 1918  he returned
to France and joined an Infantry Base Depot. On 6th February he was posted
to the 7th Battalion on the Western Front, where he joined the 7th Rifle
Brigade in the field on 11th February.

Thomas was killed in action on Thursday, 21st March 1918 at the age of 23. 
He had served a total of 3 years and 203 days in the Rifle Brigade.   The
Irlam and Cadishead War Memorial incorrectly states that Thomas served with
the King's Royal Rifles.  His wife received a cheerful letter from Thomas
dated the day before he died.   In the letter he was looking forward to an
early visit home. Medal Entitlement: 15 Star Trio.