Rfn Thomas Albert John "Jack" Scrivener

Thomas was born in Brentwood in 1897, the son of a local blacksmith and farrier called John and his wife Annie. He was their only son, and is listed in the 1911 census simply as 'Jack'. From 1910 to 1913 he was educated at Brentwood School.

He volunteered for the army as many did in 1914, and disembarked for France on 4th November 1914. He was part of the 9th Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles).

With the 9th Battalion, he would have been at battles such as Hill 60 and St Julien in 1914, and the following year he would have fought at Gommecourt on the first day of the Somme, Leuze Wood as part of the Battle of Ginchy, and the capture of Lesboeufs.

He came home on leave in February 1917, and at the end of his leave he was due to return to France. However, he was taken ill with "double pneumonia" and was taken to Warley Military Hospital. His condition worsened and he died on 16th February 1917. He was buried at Lorne Road cemetery.