19704 Pte Thomas Miller Armour, 16th Bn, Royal Scots

On this, the blackest day in the British Army's history, close to 20,000 British Army officers and men lost their lives on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. A further 40,000 men were wounded, many of these men dying in the days and weeks to come.

19704 Private Thomas Miller Armour of the 16th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots, was killed in action on this day. He had attested at Edinburgh on the 28th November 1914 aged 19 years and nine months. He was a warehouseman by trade and was living at home with his parents at 19 Henderson Terrace, Edinburgh. He was five feet, seven and a half inches tall and had "Sundry small scars over left chest. Scar on left eyebrow. Scar on back of neck." He recorded his father, Andrew Armour, as his next of kin. His mother's name was Margaret B Armour.

Thomas joined the 16th Battalion at Heriot School, Edinburgh in December 1916 and he remained with the battalion until 18th June 1915 when he was posted to the 18th Battalion. He was re-posted to the 16th Battalion on the 5th April 1916. On the 28th April he was admitted to the 20th General Hospital at Camiers suffering with scabies. Four days later he was discharged.

Thomas was initially reported missing on the 1st July 1916, later confirmed as killed in action. It seems likely that his body was not found for some weeks as a report filed on the 7th August 1916 gives no indication of a burial location or date. He was later buried in Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-La-Boiselle.

In March 1917, the Infantry Record Office at Hamilton returned Thomas's last effects to his mother. These comprised letters, photos and postcards.

It's possible that Thomas Armour was the youngest child of Andrew and Margaret. He was 21 years old when he died, and a return made by his mother in October 1919 notes six other siblings, the oldest of whom was 47, and the youngest 31. It is also a possibility, of course, that Thomas had one or more brothers who also lost their lives during the Great War. What is established, is that on this single date, the 16th Royal Scots lost 221 men killed in action. One man died of his wounds the following day.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission