James Tolman - Killed in France December 1917

In Loving Memory of

ALICE MAUD

Wife of

WILLIAM HENRY TOLMAN

Who died February 25th 1912

Aged 52 years

_______________

On the resurrection morning

Soul and Body meet again.

 

_______________

Sleep on beloved sleep

And take thy rest,

Lay down thy head upon

Thy Saviours breast,

We loved thee well but

Jesus loves thee best.

Goodnight, Goodnight,

Goodnight.

________________

 

Also of JAMES, son of the above

Who was Killed in France

Dec 3rd 1917, Aged 22 years.

 

________________

The fittest place where man can die

Is where he dies for man

 

_______________

 

Also of

WILLIAM HENRY TOLMAN

Who passed away March 7th 1929

Aged 74 years

Peace Perfect Peace

 

TOLMAN, J

Rank:……………………Private

Service No:………………40723

Date of Death:…………..03/12/1917

Regiment:……………….Norfolk Regiment, 9th Bn.

Grave Reference:……….VIII. G. 8.

Cemetery:

FLESQUIERES HILL BRITISH CEMETERY

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/337125/TOLMAN,%20J

 

Soldiers Died in the Great War records that Private 40723 James Tolman was Killed in Action on the 3rd December 1917 whilst serving with the 9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. He was born North Pickenham, Norfolk and enlisted Swaffham. No place of residence is shown.

 

The Medal Index Card for Private 40123 James Tolman, Norfolk Regiment is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/20/48104

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5590134

 

There are Service Records for a James Tolman held at Ancestry and the National Archive.

 

There is no obvious Soldiers Will or Civil Probate for this man.

 

No match on Picture Norfolk.

 

James is also remembered on the North Pickenham War Memorial.

www.breckland-rollofhonour.org.uk/n_pick.html

www.gravestonephotos.com/public/gravedetails.php?grave=47...

 

1895 – Birth and baptism

 

The Birth of a James Tolman was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1895.

 

His brothers name was difficult to establish from the Censuses – the most likely match from the birth records is a William Percival J Tolman whose birth was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1893.

 

Swaffham Civil District included the village of North Pickenham.

 

The baptism of a James Tolman, no date of birth recorded, took place at St Andrew, North Pickenham on the 11th February 1895. His parents were William Henry, a Farmer, and Alice Maud. This was a Private Baptism, so may have taken place at the couples home in North Pickenham, rather than in the church.

freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/56f29ff3f493fd6392...

 

Other family baptisms

 

St Andrew, North Pickenham

 

Louisa Matilda Tolman, no date of birth recorded, baptised 14th August 1889. Parents were William Henry, a Farmer, and Alice Maud Mary. The family lived at North Pickenham.

freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/56f2a01bf493fd6392...

(The death of a Louisa Matilda Tolman, aged under 1 was recorded in the Swaffham District in the August to September quarter, (Q3), of 1889).

 

Mabel Ella Tolman, no date of birth recorded, baptised 2nd August 1891. Parents were William Henry, a Farmer, and Alice Maud. The family lived at North Pickenham.

freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/56f2a01af493fd6392...

(The death of a Mabel Ella Tolman, aged under 1 was recorded in the Swaffham District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1892)

 

William Percival John Tolman, no date of birth recorded, privately baptised 10th January 1894. Parents were William Henry, a Farmer, and Alice Maud. The family lived at North Pickenham.

freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/56f29ff4f493fd6392...

 

1901 Census of England and Wales

 

The 6 year old James Tolman, born North Pickenham, Norfolk, was recorded living at Farm House, North Pickenham. (On the Census schedule its next door to the Coach + Horses Inn). This was the household of his parents, William H, (aged 47 and a Farmer from Ellingham, Norfolk) and Alice M, (aged 34 and from East Bradendham, Norfolk). As well as James they also have another son K.P.J, (aged 7 and born North Pickenham). Also in the household is their niece, Lilian M Tolman, aged 8 and from Lt Cressingham, Norfolk.

 

1911 Census of England and Wales

 

The Tolmans were still living at North Pickenham. Parents William Henry, (57), and Alice Maud, (45), have been married 23 years and have had 6 children, of which 2 were then still alive. These were their two sons, N.J.L, aged 17 and James, aged 16. The column for their personal occupation is left blank, but both are then said to work in the Farming Industry. I suspect they were was then a recognised job, “Farmers Son”. Still in the household is the niece Lilian Maud Tolman.

 

1912 – Death of Alice Maud

 

The 1912 Probate Calendar records that an Alice Maud Tolman, of North Pickenham, Norfolk, wife of William Henry Tolman, died 25th February 1912. Administration was granted at the Norwich Court on the 21st March to the “said William Henry Tolman, farmer”. Her effects were valued at £110 3s.

probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Tolman&...

 

The death of an Alice M Tolman, aged 52, was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1912.

 

On the day

 

FLESQUIERES HILL BRITISH CEMETERY

 

Location Information

Flesquieres is a village at the junction of the D92 and D89 roads, about 5 kilometres south-west of the main road from Cambrai to Bapaume.

 

Historical Information

Flesquieres village was attacked by the 51st (Highland) Division, with tanks, on the 20th November 1917, in the Battle of Cambrai, but held for a time by a German officer with a few men; it was captured on the 21st. It was lost in the later stages of the battle, and retaken on the 27th September 1918, by the 3rd Division.

 

Flesquieres Hill Cemetery was originally made by the 2nd Division, in 1918, behind a German cemetery ("Flesquieres Soldiers' Cemetery No.2"); but the German graves were removed after the Armistice to FLESQUIERES COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (which in its turn was removed, with 583 graves, in 1924). Plots III-VIII were created on the site of the German cemetery and in them were reburied 688 British soldiers from the battlefields of Havrincourt, Flesquieres, Marcoing and Masnieres and from a few other burial grounds, including:-

 

ABANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (Nord), in which 38 British soldiers and four men of the Chinese Labour Corps were buried in 1917-18. (The four Chinese burials were re-buried in Ayette Indian and Chinese Cemetery).

 

HAVRINCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY, from which four British soldiers were taken to Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension and three to Flesquieres.

 

HAYNECOURT GERMAN CEMETERY, on the South side of the village, from which eight British graves were removed to Flesquieres and two to H.A.C. Cemetery, Ecoust-St. Mein, and 138 German to other cemeteries.

 

MASNIERES-CREVECOEUR ROAD CEMETERY, CREVECOEUR SUR-L'ESCAUT, where 13 New Zealand soldiers and seven of the Devons were buried in October, 1918.

 

MASNIERES GERMAN CEMETERY, South of Masnieres, used by the New Zealand Division for eleven burials in October, 1918.

 

RIBECOURT CHURCHYARD, in which four Canadian, one Australian and three British soldiers were buried in 1916-1917.

 

63RD DIVISION CEMETERY, between MARCOING and Villers-Plouich, made by the Royal Naval Division at the end of 1917, which contained 41 graves.

 

There are now over 900, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over one-third are unidentified and special memorials are erected to five officers and men from the United Kingdom and two from New Zealand, known or believed to be buried among them.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/35500/FLESQUIERES%2...

 

As part of the Centenary commemorations of the outbreak of the Great, the CWGC have been adding a number of original documents to their web-site. Particularly useful are the concentration reports – details of where individuals have been exhumed and re-interred elsewhere.

 

There is a concentration report for James. The bodies of 40723 Private J Tolman and 13406 Private A Kelmer of the 9th Norfolk Regiment were both found at map reference L.8.G.6.4. There was no cross on their graves but they were identified by their ID Discs. No other personal effects were recovered. The report was date-stamped March 1920. James was reburied in Grave VIII G.8, whilst Kelmer was reburied in VIII.G.6.

 

There is however no Private A Kelmer on CWGC, nor a soldier 13406 of the Norfolk Regiment.

A search for that serial number in the Medal Index Cards brings up only a Private 13406 George Cushing of the 8th Norfolk Regiment.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D2055467

 

In fact some diligent research work must have been done at the time – as the occupant of the other grave is now listed as Private 14396 Charles Calver, of Foulsham, Norfolk. Charles is recorded as having died on the 2nd December 1917.

www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/336678/

 

2nd December 1917 – Battalion War Diary

 

There was constant hostile shelling all day, and infantry actions took place to the North and South. The enemy appeared to be very strong in artillery.

 

3rd December 1917 – Battalion War Diary

 

The shelling was incessant all day. Late in the afternoon the dispositions of the Brigade was altered. NOYELLES was more lightly held and the right was drawn back to present a defensive flank towards MARCOING. Bn H.Q. moved to the PILL BOX in the SUNKEN Road at L.9.d.5.2 and one company was kept at hand in the sand-pits L.16.a.75 90 Everything pointed to an eventual withdrawal from NINEWOOD. Since Nov.30th it had been clear to all that we held on to NINEWOOD and NOYELLES at our peril. Capt.T.FREDERICK M.C. and Lieut.M.C.COLLER were wounded.

 

Appendix V of the War Diary has a detailed list of the Battalions casualties. Private 40723 J Tolman is listed as Killed on the 2nd December 1917.

 

Postscript

 

According to the 1929 Probate Calendar, a William Henry Tolman who died on the 7th March 1929 lived at 62 St George Street, Beccles, Suffolk. Administration was granted at the Ipswich Court on the 28th March 1929 to William Percival John Tolman, Farmer. His effects were valued at £1,711 12s 6d.

probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar

 

Done