PRIVATE WILLIAM JAMES THOMAS
1/ 4th Essex Regiment
Born in 1886 in Sellack
In 1881 his father was living at Upper Grove Common, Sellack and in 1891 at Lower Grove Common, Sellack
He was attested and called up about December 1915. Following training it seems certain he was sent to Egypt in 1916 as a reinforcement for the regiment after its losses at Gallipoli in 1917
Private Thomas was killed in action on 19th September 1918 in Palestine
He is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Private Thomas is not commemorated on the Sellack war memorial but he was born in Sellack and his family had strong ties to the community