Forename: Sidney Alfred
Surname: Thomas
Rank: Signaller
Regiment: Royal Hussars
Institution: St Paul’s Practising School
Sidney Alfred Thomas was born on 15 May 1896 to Alfred and Elizabeth Thomas. He lived at 7 Westbourne Terrace while attending St Paul’s Practising School from 1 October 1903. He left school in 1911 to work as a baker and later worked for the Cheltenham “Looker On” newspaper. He was also a Chorister at St Paul’s Church.
Sidney became a Signaller in the 19th Battalion (Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal) Hussars, travelling to Germany as part of the occupying force after the Armistice. He died tragically on 15 December 1918 while trying to save his horse from drowning in the swollen River Wupper. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Cologne Memorial. Sidney was 22 years old.