Thomas Clifford Fox

Driver Thomas Clifford Fox – Royal Field Artillery, 2^nd/1^st Welsh Howitzer Brigade

Early Life

Thomas Clifford Fox was born in October 1893, the son of Thomas Fox and Maria Fowler, who had married in 1888.

1901 Census

At the time of the 1901 Census, Thomas, aged 7, was living with his parents at 35 New Street, Swansea. His father, Thomas, 50, was employed as a shipwright, while Maria, aged 48, managed the home. Also present was his elder brother, William Benjamin, aged 11.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family was still living at 35 New Street. Thomas senior, now 60, was still working as a shipwright, while Maria was 58. Their two sons were both entering trades: William Benjamin, aged 21, was employed as a shipwright apprentice, while Thomas Clifford, aged 17, worked as a polisher apprentice.

Military Service

Attestation Papers

On 27^th January 1915, Thomas enlisted to serve with the Royal Field Artillery, 2nd/1st Welsh Howitzer Brigade. His attestation papers survive, recording his service during the First World War.

Death

Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901 - 1929

1916 was a leap year, and on 29^th February 1916, Driver Thomas Clifford Fox died at the age of 22. He passed away at the No. 1 Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge. His death is recorded in the Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects (1901–1929).

The No. 1 Eastern General Hospital was established in September 1914 on land previously used as cricket grounds by King’s College and Clare College, Cambridge. Initially consisting of rows of huts, the hospital expanded rapidly and utilised buildings of the university, including Bodley’s and Scott’s buildings, as well as Fawcett’s building, to house nurses. It became one of the key wartime medical facilities in Cambridge.

Burial

Thomas Clifford Fox
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Thomas Clifford Fox was laid to rest at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, where he is buried in the same grave as his grandparents, Benjamin and Elizabeth Fowler. His headstone preserves his memory as a young man who answered the call of duty but did not return from the war.

Legacy

Though his life was short, Driver Thomas Clifford Fox’s story reflects the path of many young Swansea men during the war: trained in trades, then drawn into service at the outbreak of the conflict. His burial at Danygraig, alongside his grandparents, ties his story to both family and community memory, reminding us of the many personal sacrifices behind the wider history of the Great War.