Thomas Alexander Essery - A Legacy Lived on Through his Nephew

From the family of Ruth Essery Gray:

Thomas Alexander Essery was born in Palmerston, Ontario, on May 7, 1896, the first born son of Austin Eli and Margaret Essery.

He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France, just before the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

Tom Essery was part of the Second Battalion, First Canadian Brigade that was part of this action. It has been generally assumed that he died in the taking of Vimy Ridge, but in fact, his Battalion was mostly held in reserve that day.

The Second Battalion played a main part in the battle for Fresnoy, and it was here on May 3rd that Tom was mortally wounded.

From Wikipedia:

Fresnoy was virtually destroyed in 1917 during the First World War.

After their successes in the spring campaigns (including the taking of Vimy Ridge), the Canadians and British pushed Eastwards across open country until they reached German defense lines that, in this sector, ran North to South from Arleux, on to Oppy and then down to Gavrelle.

Following a successful push by the Canadians through Arelux in late April, German positions in and around Fresnoy became the scene of fierce fighting on April 28th, 1917. Ernst Junger, who wrote Storm of Steel, recalled the barrage on the village:

“Fresnoy was one towering fountain of Earth after another. Each second seemed to outdo the last. As if by some magical power, one house subsided into the Earth; walls broke, gables fell, and bare sets of beams and joints were sent flying through the air, cutting down the roofs of other houses. Clouds of splinters danced over whitish wraiths of steam. Eyes and ears were utterly compelled by this devastation.”

A few weeks later, on May 5th, the Canadians managed  to capture the village. It was lost, however, when ferocious German counter attacks were launched on May 7th and pushed the Canadians and British back. The front line then stabilized just outside the village.

The Germans counter attacked and his body went missing, likely when the dressing station was overrun.

This is why his name in on the Vimy Memorial. The names are there from those with no known grave.

Thomas Alexander Essery’s death on May 3rd, 1917 had a profound effect on everyone in the Essery family.

For his parents, it was so distressing. It’s been said that his mother never recovered.

As was often the custom, his name is inscribed on the Essery headstone in Palmerston cemetery.

His brother, Jack, signed up in 1918 as soon as he was old enough. When he had his own son in 1939, he named him in honour of his brother – Thomas Alexander.

We see in the photographs a strong resemblance to his brothers. According to his Attestation Papers (Signup Papers), he was 19 years, 4 months old when he joined, has a dark complexion, dark hair and blue eyes, and was 5’9” ½ tall. His religion was Church of England. His job was banking.

Anyone who knew him well have passed on now, and it’s sad that we don’t have a good idea of what was going on in his mind at his time.