Thomas James Newman

Thomas was born in Dublin city on or around 19 Dec 1888 in the Rotunda Hospita*l; he was the eldest surviving son of Michael Newman, a constable with the Dublin Metropoliatan Police, originally from Drinan near Ballymahon, and Julia Sheridan from Co. Wexford. Sadly his mother died in 1894, and by 1901 his father had remarried and Thomas was living with his grandparents in Co Longford. 

Thomas enlisted with the Royal Army Service Corps, likely part of the Horse Transport,  in Dec 1908 in Longford, and was likely a reservist at the time of the outbreak of World War 1 in August 1914. Thomas was mobilised in August 1914, and was part of the 10th (Horse Transport) Company Number 4 Section which landed at Le Havre on 23 Aug 1914.

Thomas returned to Co. Longford after the Great War. He married Alice Gerety of Lislea on the 27 Apr 1937; they had four children. Thomas died at his son Michael's residence in Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath, on the 12 Dec 1973.

Thomas's granddaughter, Kate O'Connell gave further biographical and military information in an article published in the Irish Independent in 2018. 

Link to Civil Record of Birth (first name not registered); WW1 Army pension ledgers & index cards 01 (Fold3.com, subscription site); 'Today We Will Remember All Of Our Fallen', Irish Independent, 8 Jul 2018; Death Notice, Irish Independent, and Irish Press, both 13 Dec 1973;