Georges Thomas est incorporé au 20ème bataillon de chasseur à pied, 2ème compagnie, secteur n° 117. Grâce à son carnet de route, on apprend qu’il a livré bataille en Franche-Comté, en Picardie, et Lorraine et en Alsace. Il sera démobilisé en février 1919. || 1 carnet intitulé « Carnet de route (ou de misère) » appartenant au chasseur Georges Thomas. Il a noté, chronologiquement, toutes les villes par lesquelles il est passé, du 12 janvier 1916 au 5 février 1918. On peut lire ensuite quelques paroles de chansons telles que « La relève du plateau » et « les femmes pendant la guerre » écrites à Soucy (Aisne) en septembre et octobre 1917, ou un monologue «La croix de guerre », écrit en 1918 en Haute-Alsace. A la fin du carnet il a également noté un ensemble mots et de phrases en français et allemand ; 2 photographies prises le 23 octobre 1917 au Chemin des Dames (Aisne).

Thomas Bryers Hepple was the great uncle of the contributor. Born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham in 1897, he enlisted in 1916 and served in France as a gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery. His two elder brothers, Matthew and William also enlisted, and were charged to ‘look after Tom’ by their parents, John George and Grace. Although they all joined the Royal Horse Artillery, they were in fact deployed to different areas, and so were unable to fulfil this exhortation. Tom survived the war, but contracted influenza and died of pneumonia whilst still in France. He is interred in the Dunkirk Town Military cemetery in Dunkirk. He is also commemorated on the Easington Lane Memorial Clock and on his parents’ headstone at Easington Lane cemetery in County Durham. After the Armistice, Tom’s brother Matthew was on the train back home to Durham, but it was turned back at Ripon in Yorkshire and sent to Ireland instead. After the war, when John George and Grace were going to Dunkirk to visit Tom’s grave, they asked Matthew to accompany them, only he refused saying he would never set foot outside the country again, and his brother William went instead. Tom’s headstone in Dunkirk was subsequently inscribed “Too loved to be forgotten”. || One service medal, which has Tom’s name and number on it. Family photograph with parents John George and Grace, with sons Matthew, William and Tom all in uniform; Tom is on right at front. Two proof photographs of Thomas in uniform, one taken at Elemore (County Durham) in 1916. Scroll of service for those who died, which has been annotated on the back by G Sutton (the person who sent the medals and scrolls). A memorial card. 5 photographs in total; one of a war memorial erected in 1921 in Easington Lane in County Durham (Thomas is remembered on it), others are of Dunkirk war cemetery taken in the early 1920’s with the original wooden crosses: Thomas's parents John George and Grace Hepple had the photographs taken and are in the pictures. A final photograph of the eldest brother Mathew Hepple in uniform.

Thomas joined the Seaforth Highlanders, based in Inverness. Thomas, the contributors grandfather, was sent a 21st birthday card in a leather bound folder on 22nd July 1917. The folder is inscribed Piper T. W. Eaton, 7th Seaforth Highlanders. Inside, is a card saying 21st birthday wishes with a Scottish sporran, kilt, headress and text written in Scottish dialect, best of luck from Father and Mother. The mystery is, who produced it? Thomas' family were from Manchester, yet this is Scottish. Thomas' father was a bookbinder - did he make the leather folder, or was it standard issue? Thomas survived World War 1 and went on to become manager of Manchester Docks during World War 2. || Leather bound 21st birthday card.