Thomas Cundy

Trimmer Thomas Cundy – Royal Naval Reserve

South Wales Daily Post

The South Wales Daily Post, in its column The Daily Toll of 28^th November 1918, announced the death of Thomas Cundy, who had succumbed to pneumonia at a hospital in Grimsby. He was buried at Danygraig Cemetery.

Early Life

Thomas was born in 1881, the son of Richard Cundy and Catherine Davies, who had married in 1875.

1891 Census

At the time of the 1891 Census, the Cundy family lived at 15 Wellington Street.
Richard, 40, was a Ship’s Docker, and Catherine was 38. Their children were Margaret A., 15; Richard, 13; Mary E., 10; Thomas, 8; Beatrice, 6; and 1-year-old Charles H.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the family were still living at 15 Wellington Street. Richard, 51, was employed as a General Labourer, and Catherine was 50. Their children present were Richard, 24, a Wood Sawyer; Thomas, 19, a Drayman; and Charles, 12. Also present was Richard Harris, aged 5, a nephew.

1911 Census

In 1909, Thomas married Lydia Arnold. By the time of the 1911 Census, Thomas himself was not recorded, but Lydia, aged 22, was living at 2 York Court with their infant son, Tom, aged 1.

Naval Service

During the First World War, Thomas enlisted with the Royal Naval Reserve. At the time of his death, on 24^th November 1918, he was ranked as a Trimmer on board H.M.S. Perkin, one of the many support vessels that kept the Royal Navy operational during wartime.

H.M.S. Perkin

H.M.S. Perkin was a hired auxiliary vessel used by the Royal Navy during the war for harbour duties and support work, including coaling and transport services. While not a fighting ship, her role was vital in sustaining Britain’s fleet. Life aboard such vessels was tough, often involving heavy labour and exposure to the elements. It was within this demanding environment that Thomas contracted the illness which led to his death.

Death and Burial

British Army and Navy, Birth, Marriage and Death Records

On 24^th November 1918, just days after the Armistice brought the war to a close, Thomas died of pneumonia in Grimsby. His death was formally recorded in the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records.

Thomas Cundy
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Following his passing, his body was returned to Swansea. His funeral at Danygraig Cemetery was solemnly reported in the South Wales Daily Post. The cortege was met by members of his extended family, neighbours from Wellington Street, and representatives of the Royal Naval Reserve, who carried out his burial with respect due to his service.

The coffin, draped in a Union Jack, was borne by comrades in naval uniform. Wreaths were laid by his wife Lydia, his young son Tom, and fellow reservists. Prayers were read over the grave, and the committal reflected on his duty both to family and country.

As the newspaper noted, Thomas’s funeral stood as a poignant reminder that though the war had officially ended, its toll on families continued. His burial at Danygraig placed him among dozens of fellow Swansea servicemen whose sacrifices are marked in the cemetery’s First World War plots.

Legacy

Thomas Cundy’s story is a reminder of those who did not fall in battle, but whose lives were claimed by illness and exhaustion in the closing days of the war. His resting place at Danygraig stands as a lasting memorial to his service, and as part of the collective sacrifice endured by Swansea families during the Great War.