Thomas Sharp was, I assume, the Thomas Sharp born at Towcester in 1888 who appears on the 1911 Census as a "boarder", a soldier of furlough, at Spring Gardens, Towcester with his step-mother, sister and step-brother (Fred).
Thomas Sharp's number, 7863, shows that he would have enlisted either on, or a day or so either side of, 1st January 1906, age 17. He would have trained at the Depot at Northampton for about 4 months before being posted to the UK based battalion of the Regiment. This would have been the 2nd Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment who were based at Colchester between 1906 and 1911.
Most soldiers would spend two or three years, depending on the "trooping season" of troop transports out to the Empire garrisons each year (which ran between September and March). Thomas almost certainly served with the 1st battalion in India for a period since he is on home furlough in the 1911 Census - typical of the men from the 1st Battalion whom had just arrived back in the UK from Aden.
This period would have been between about 1908 and February 1911 when they returned home. When Thomas joined the 1st battalion it was based at Poona (Pune) in western India (with smaller detachments at nearby towns) and most of the companies (about 100 men each) moved to Aden in 1910 leaving a couple of companies in western India.
The 1st battalion returned to the UK via Malta aboard the Hired transport "Dongola" in February 1911 dropping some of its men with overseas time still to serve with the 2nd Battalion whom had been taken to Malta of the Dongola's outward journey in January 1911. The fact that Thomas was on home furlough on 2nd April 1911 means it is very unlikely he was one of the men dropped off but returned with the full 1st battalion to Devonport from whence they were sent home by rail.
The typical term of engagement for an infantry soldier was 12 years. This was made up of a period of active service (full time military service either in the UK or abroad) and Reserve service in a civilian job on reduced pay and with the obligation to be "recalled to the colours" in the event of war. Thomas's initial period of service was likely to have been nine years active and three on reserve, as was usual for the period around 1905-1906. This would have meant a transfer to Reserve in about January 1915. However, many men on these terms of service were encouraged to take an early transfer to Reserve after about 7 years (i.e. about January 1913 for Thomas).
This would mean that Thomas was either still serving full time at the outbreak of war (with 1st battalion at Blackdown) or had been transferred to Reserve. If the latter, he would have been recalled upon the declaration of war in the first week of August 1914. The National Roll entry suggests that he had not transferred to Reserve and was serving with 1st Bn at Blackdown.
He was one of the original contingent of the 1st battalion who landed in France on 13th August 1914 and who saw service during the advance to Mons and the subsequent retreat. Though they saw little action during the hot days of marching in August 1914, they saw plenty of action on the Aisne (especially at Troyon on 17th September 1914, when Fred Sharp is likely to have been fatally wounded) and then at the 1st Battle of Ypres in Flanders culminating in facing the charge of the Prussian Guards at Nonne Boschen on 11th November 1914. Only shadow of the battalion marched away from Ypres in mid-November 1914.
1915 was not much better for the battalion which, after being rebuilt in early 1915, was annihilated again at the Battle of Aubers Ridge on 9th May 1915. Another rebuilding later took them to the area around Loos when they took part in the initial assault in the area around "Chalk Pit" and the Bois Hugo next to Loos-en-Gohelle. The annotated records in WO391-4 at the National Archives show that Thomas Sharp's DCM was awarded at "Le Rutoire" on 25th September 1915. I think this is splitting the two deeds mentioned in the citation, the earlier encounter with the six Germans being at Le Rutoire (possibly around July 1915) with the latter message running being at Loos on 25th September 1915.
In 1916, Thomas Sharpe appears as "Wounded" (as an acting Sergeant) on a casualty list in the Times of 2 May 1916. This probably refers to a wounding in early April 1916, though his presence still in France in September 1916 suggests that the wounding may not have been serious enough for him to be evacuated from France. 12823 Fred Newbery, also of Towcester, on the same list was wounded with 1st Bn on the 8-4-1916 losing his left arm.
Later in 1916 the 1st Battalion took their turn on the Somme, though they arrived after the tumultuous "First Day" of 1st July 1916, instead being involved in attacks on the German lines running across the Somme between Contalmaison and Pozieres in mid-July 1916. At Pozieres they were relieved by Australian troops who thereafter became known for their exploits there. In late August 1916 the battalion was pushed up towards High Wood where they fought more tooth and nail fights for possession of German trenches outside High Wood. On 8th September 1916 they also took part in further battles with High Wood itself. Finally, for Thomas, they took part in another attack between High Wood and Flers, with "B" and "C" attached to 2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps on 27th September 1916. It was there that Sergeant Thomas Sharp was killed.
Steve.
