3rd Battalion 4th Division West Yorkshire Regiment – Prince of Wales’s Own
Military History
In 1916 he was in France with the Fourth Division
This is a Christmas card he sent home in 1916
He came home on leave (possibly in 1917), and was said to have been “unable to keep away from the kitchen tap” constantly drinking water.
This gives rise to the idea that he may have experienced breathing in some gas, being used as a chemical weapon, which had damaged his throat.
Thomas returned to the front, however, but was found collapsed by another Garforth boy, and taken to an ambulance station. From there he was sent home.
He is buried in Garforth Cemetery Plot D153 and is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Garforth Cemetery
He died on 9th February 1918 having been a patient at Wharncliffe War Hospital in Sheffield.
- WHARNCLIFFE HOSPITAL
- Establishment: The site originally opened in 1872 as the South Yorkshire Lunatic Asylum.
- World War I: In 1915, the asylum was converted into Wharncliffe War Hospital to treat military casualties. It provided over 2,000 beds and treated approximately 37,000 patients during the Great War. King George V famously visited the site in September and treated approximately 37,000 patients during the Great War. King George V famously visited the site in September 1915.
- World War II: It was utilised again as an emergency war hospital starting in 1939.
Family History
Early family photograph shows Father Joseph and Mother Annie Birch with three of their children, Thomas (centre), Harriet, and Alice.
Thomas was baptised on 10th May 1896. He was the eldest son of Joseph and Annie Birch.In 1901 the family lived at 12 Moor Garforth with Annie’s father John Townend.In 1911 15 year old Thomas was a Grocer Assistant Family anecdote says he was “very quick at reckoning up”He was living at 25 Beech Grove Avenue, Garforth which was a 5 room dwelling.
Father– Joseph born 1870 in Garforth – Occupation 1911 Coal Miner Hewer
Mother – Annie born 1874 in Garforth – in 1911 they had been married 16 years and had had 8 children 6 of whom survived
Mother Annie with daughter Sarah. Sarah was a successful teacher who could afford to buy a house. Annie, being a formidable lady, refused to live in any house that didn’t have her name on the rent book.
- Thomas Birch – Born 1896 in Garforth
- Sister – Alice – Born 1901 in Garforth
- Sister – Harriet – Born 1902 in Garforth
- Sister – Sarah – Born 1906 in Garforth
- Brother – Joseph – Born 1908 in Garforth
- Brother – Percy – Born 1910 in Garforth
- Sister – Helen – Born 1912 in Garforth
- Brother -Walter Born 1914 Garforth
The Kippax Connection
This information and some photographs were provided in 2026 by Pat Brook-
A member of Kippax Commemorative Event Group
Private Thomas Birch would have been an Uncle to the late Mrs. Norah Wright (nee Smith) and her sisters, the late Renee Webster and to Madge Spencer , now of Garforth . Their mother was Harriet. He would also have been uncle to Gordon and Alan Birch, descendants of his brothers Walter and Percy Birch, to Jean Knowles, daughter of Alice, and Michael and Brian Pemberton, sons of Helen. Thus Thomas would have been great uncle to Pat and Denis Wright, currently Kippax residents and their sister, Jenifer, all their Spencer, and Webster cousins and their Birch, Knowles and Pemberton half- cousins. None of these people ever met him.