L/Cpl Thomas Edward SNOWDEN.
Remembrance - The Yorkshire Regiment, First World War
L/Cpl Thomas Edward SNOWDEN. 15143
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L/Cpl Thomas Edward SNOWDEN.

Photo and biographical information below.

Lance Corporal Thomas Edwin Snowden. 15143.
5th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Edwin Snowden, of 63, Dean Rd., Scarborough. Killed 27 May 1918. Aged 21.
Born Scarborough, Enlisted Scarborough.
Buried HANGARD COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

L/Cpl Thomas Edward SNOWDEN
L/Cpl Thomas Edward SNOWDEN.

The above photo was provided by a descendant of Thomas Edwin Snowden, John Snowden (<johnsnow48@btinternet.com>), who made the following comment;-
"Thomas Snowden entered France in September 1915 and was killed, I believe, around 30 March 1918. His headstone says 27 May 1918 but I think this is wrong. He was on leave in March and called back to the front on the 21st of that month. He was found at map ref 62D.U24.b7.2 to the west of Hangard."

From the official history of the Yorkshire Regiment in the First World War, between 24th - 31st March 1918 the 5th Battalion were engaged in fighting in the Licourt / Villers-Carbonnel / Misery area - some distance from Hangard. In that week, there were heavy losses in the battalion, - 3 Officers and 22 Other Ranks were killed and 2 Officers and 124 Other Ranks were missing.
However, two months later on 27 May the Germans launched an attack on the Craonne Plateau where the 5th Battalion were in position. On this occasion the losses were absolutely massive, - 25 Officers and 684 Other Ranks were missing. Obviusly, some of the missing would have been taken prisoner, but the losses were still extraordinary.

From the database of names for the Yorkshire Regiment Remembrance website, 181 men of the 4th and 5th Battalions lost their lives on 27 May 1918.

From the database of casualties in the Green Howards Gazette, T E Snowden was reported as missing in the September 1918 issue (XXVI No 303, p 46). Allowing for the time between reports of casualties and the publication of the Gazette (2 - 3 months), it seems to be more probbale that L/Cpl T E Snowden was killed on 27 May 1918 than in March 1918.

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