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Company framed photograph. Caption title above frame: Machine Gun Corps Cadet Btn., Pirbright March 1917. Text inscribed on photograph itself: C.Coy, No. 2 Cadet BTN, 2nd course, March 1917. Photograph of Tom Henry Alexander in uniform. Photograph of the Alexander family when Tom was a boy. || Tom Henry Alexander, born January 1898, joined the Artists Rifles, which was attached to the 2nd London Regiment (part of the RN division). He was posted to France in 1917, and killed in action on October 30 1917 whilst attacking two concrete German machine gun emplacements, thigh deep in mud at Passchendaele. They were hit by a 100 yard sq artillary barrage, and casualties were approximately 80 per cent. Tom was sent to carry a message detailing the carnage, and was hit by a fragment to the head and died instantly. The following night, under cover of darkness, the machine gun positions were captured without loss of life by eleven men and one officer. The battle was won approximately four days later. This happened near to the Poelkapelle Road during the attack on Varlet Farm. His family never recovered from his loss.

Tom Earnshaw was born June 1891 in Tottington, Lancashire. In 1911 he was a House painter. He married Ada M Graham in 1914. The Great War 1914-1919 - soldier details Name: Tom EARNSHAW Regiment, Corps etc.: Grenadier Guards Battalion etc.: 1st Battalion. 4.8.14 Warley: London District. Sept. 1914 to 20th Bde. 7th Div. at Lyndhurst. 7.10.14 landed at Zeebrugge. 4.8.15 to 3rd Guards Bde. Guards Div. 11.11.18 3rd Guards Bde. Guards Div. France; Maubeuge. Last name: Earnshaw First name(s): Tom Initials: T Birthplace: Tottington, Bury Enlisted: Bury Residence: Rank: L/CPL Number: 18600 Date died: 21 September 1916 How died: Died of wounds Theatre of war: France & Flanders || Postcard, photographs