Tom SPENCER

01 June 1917

SPENCER – May 19th 1917, killed in action in France, Pte. Thomas Spencer, of the Durham Light Infantry, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Spencer, The Closes Farm, Steeton, aged 24 years.

01 June 1917

THE WAR’S TOLL ON STEETON

Last weekend news was received in the district from a letter sent by a local soldier that Private Thomas Spencer, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Spencer, The Closes Farm, Steeton Manor, had been killed on the Western Front. The anxiety and suspense of the parents was broken yesterday (Thursday), when a letter arrived from the officer in the battalion stating that Private Spencer had been killed in action on May 19th. Deceased was 24 years of age, and joined the Durham Light Infantry in 1916. He was previously employed as a spinning over-looker by Messrs. W. C. Wilson and Son, Eastburn. We regret that there is no photograph available of the deceased soldier.

Information was received yesterday (Thursday morning) at Steeton that two former well-known residents -Willie and Reuben Dowbiggin, of the Canadian Forces – had been wounded in France, and were in hospital in England. The family originally came to Steeton from Hawes and emigrated to Canada some years ago.

22 June 1917

STEETON-WITH-EASTBURN – Memorial Service

The service at the Wesleyan Church on Sunday morning took the form of a memorial service to the memory of the late Private Tom Spencer and Trooper Clifford Cockshott. The suspense of the last-named soldier’s parents was turned into grief on Thursday in last week when they were notified of their son’s death from wounds received in action. The Rev. W.L. Haim conducted the service and made sympathetic reference to the two fallen soldiers, who were old scholars and along with the under-mentioned dead heroes had attended the Wesleyan Sunday School–Privates Willie and Thos. Robson, Prince Dawson, Richard Nicholson, Ewart Myers and Sergt. Thomas Moyle.