11th Battalion, Leicester Regiment
Thomas William Bolter was born at Hillmarton, a village between Calne and Wootton Bassett in north Wiltshire, on 12 July 1896. His parents were Richard William Bolter (1852-1935), a farmer and his wife Emily Jane (née Jefferys: 1862-1948). The couple had five children, born between 1894 and 1904 and Thomas was the second of four sons.
At the time of the 1901 Census the family lived at the Farm House in Great Rissington and presumably were still living there in 1911, although the census only records them as being at ‘Great Rissington’. One of the five children had died by this time (in 1906). Thomas, aged 14, was still at school.
Only three items of documentation relating to Thomas’ military service appear to have survived. He has a Medal Rolls Index Card, which notes entitlement to the Victory and British War Medal, which indicates he saw active service abroad but there is no indication of where and when he first left the UK. The actual Medal Roll notes service with initially, the 9th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment and following that the 11th Battalion of the same regiment.
The 9th (Service) Battalion of the Leicesters were part of 110 Brigade, 37 Division, who were first posted to the Western Front on 7 July 1916. The 11th Battalion were also known as the ‘Midland Pioneers’, who, from 1 April 1916, were the 6th Division’s Pioneers, on the Western Front. It is not known exactly when Thomas joined the Army and when he was first posted to the Leicesters. It seems likely that this was in 1916 or 1917. Possibly he was first placed with the 9th Battalion, in the infantry and later transferred to the 11th, to undertake construct and repair work at the Front.
We know from a recently released Pension Record Card that he was discharged from the Army on 23 February 1919, due to ‘VDH’ (valvular disease of the heart), which was attributable to his military service and he had a invalidity pension, from 24 February 1919.
It is probable that his cardiac condition was responsible for his death, aged 23, at Great Rissington, on 10 August 1919. He was buried in the parish churchyard and a private granite stone cross was chosen to mark his grave. His name features on the Great War Memorial inside the church, along with those of the five Souls brother, from the village, who died during the war.
Researched by Graham Adams 15 May 2021
(Acknowledgement to the Private Members Tree on Ancestry for the photograph)