Thomas Skinner

  On 31 March 1901, the Skinner household at 12 Collingwood St, in the Caldewgate district of Carlisle, contained nine persons of the extended family, as enumerated on the English census. Born in Carlisle, having never married, and at 52 years of age, Ann Skinner was listed as the head of house. Her sister Mary, 15 years younger, and also never married, was next listed, and employed at the time as a cotton weaver, carrying on the traditional family occupation of over 100 years. With them was Prudence Skinner, their niece. At 22 years of age, Prudence was born in the coastal town of Ravenglass, the daughter of her aunt’s brother, John Skinner, and his wife, Jane Tyson. In 1901 Prudence found herself employed as a confectioner’s assistant in Carlisle.

Next on the census was Thomas Skinner, another brother of Ann and Mary. He was born in Carlisle and had escaped the spinning and weaving of cotton by becoming a bread baker and confectioner. Possibly it was through Thomas that his niece, Prudence, gained her employment. At 34 years old, Thomas had moved in with his sisters after his wife, Frances Park, had died a little more than a year previous to the census when she had only just turned 32 years. With him to the household, Thomas brought five children less than 13 years of age. His eldest daughter shared a name with her cousin, both of whom were probably named for their grandmother, Prudence Nichols. Next was Sarah Elizabeth, then Katie, and Annie Mary, the youngest. Also present was the 7 year old son of Thomas, the namesake of his father.

Thomas Skinner, the younger, was born in Carlisle on 2 May 1893, and was the second youngest child, and only son, to Thomas and Frances. Thrust into this large, estrogen filled, extended family, household Thomas found himself being raised by spinster aunts and an elder cousin. In a family photo, shortly before his mother’s death, Thomas is seen as a blur, not being able to remain still long enough for a proper exposure. It may have been a harbinger of the future. When even the still new practice of photography could not hold his attention, the usual and too familiar surroundings of Carlisle made Thomas seek more exciting adventures by joining the British Army, namely the 2nd Battalion of the home town Border Regiment. It was not a typical occupation choice for the son of two staunch Salvation Army members.

After joining, Thomas trained with the 2nd Battalion as they were sent to various posts within the empire. However, he found himself back at the depot in Carlisle to help train the more than 600 volunteers at the outbreak of the First World War. Through one way or another, Thomas was drafted into the 6th Battalion (Bn) and embarked with them for Lincolnshire in September of 1914. There the battalion settled into a tented camp and commenced training while waiting to be properly outfitted with weapons, equipment, and even uniforms.

The 6th Bn was still in Lincolnshire at the end June 1915 when it received orders to prepare for active service. The general rumour-mill suggested that the troops were headed for the Western Front, however they were ordered to leave on 30 June for the Dardanelles in Turkey. The Bn travelled by train to Liverpool and embarked on the SS Empress of Britain, destined for the Island of Lemnos in Greece, the staging area for the operations in Gallipoli. Little did Thomas know that this would shortly become his home for eternity.

The Empress set sail with Thomas on board on 1 July and he found himself in Greece 18 days later. After a short rest on the island, Thomas, as part of A Company, landed at “V” Beach, Cape Helles, on 21 July and he and his mates did not have to wait long before being introduced to modern warfare as the Turks began shelling the battalion as they came ashore. However, the 6th Bn only spent 10 days on the Cape before they were shipped to the Island of Imbros.

During the week spent on Imbros an epidemic of dysentery spread through the battalion. It is unknown if Thomas was affected, but he could not have escaped unscathed. He would have participated in the practice night landings on 4 August and he would have been as surprised as the rest of the men when they were told at noon on the 6th that their attack at Suvla Bay was going ahead that night. Little practice, extended sickness, and little warning of the attack, coupled with gastric problems caused by the cholera injections, did not bode well for the battalion.

The 6th Bn went ashore at Suvla Bay as part of the 34th Brigade. The objectives of the landing was to take the high points, the hills, in the area and to consolidate a holding along the narrowest part of the Gallipoli Peninsula. One feature, Chocolate Hill, named for the colour of the bush growing on it, was supposed to be captured by dawn on the 7th. This was accomplished between the 6th Bn and another unit, but well after the time allotted. They were ordered back to the beach at Suvla at 9 am on the 8th, but the day was spent in chaos. Water was in very short supply and men did not get the opportunity to fill their canteens. The decision was made to bring ashore mules to assist in carrying water but the horses to pull artillery pieces were left aboard the ships. It was during this “rest” period that the 6th Bn was told to prepare for an attack that was to start at 5:15 am on 9 August.

Moving off from the start line on time, the attack progressed well until about 6:10 am. Counter-attacking Turks prevented the left of the battalion from progressing and a gap opened in the line. The enemy machine-gun fire cut through the battalion isolating groups of men . For the next 5 hours the Turkish army decimated the British troops. During this time Thomas was hit. The bullet ripped through him but he wasn’t killed. Most likely Thomas lay bleeding, losing and regaining consciousness numerous times. As the battalion was consolidated they received orders to withdraw. Parties of men searched for survivors and Thomas would have been carried from the field to an aid station. From there he was transported back to the beach at Suvla and then by boat to Lemnos. Over the next five days Thomas would have undergone surgery, but his wounds were beyond repair. On 15 August, only 46 days after leaving the friendly shores of England, Thomas Skinner, the younger, died on the Island of Lemnos in Greece, and buried in East Mudros Military Cemetery. Thomas Skinner went ashore at Suvla Bay as part of the 6th Bn, Border Regiment, a unit of 719 men. The day after Thomas’s wounding only 303 all ranks answered their names at roll call.