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Rifleman Thomas Albert James Page
Description
TitleRifleman Thomas Albert James PageAlternative NameThomas Albert EarnestSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionThomas Albert James, who seems to have been known by his middle name, was born at Hororata on 26 February 1896, son of William and Sarah Jane Page. Before enlisting he was an engineer’s assistant for W. B. Scott and Co. He was living at Whare Koa, 86 Bristol St in St Albans, Christchurch. Also living there was Miss Helen White Brown whom he identified as friend and contact on his attestation papers. His will left his life insurance policy to her and the rest of his property to his mother. He had previous military experience with the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry but was no longer serving as he had been released as medically unfit. He had been previously rejected for war service on account of chronic rheumatism and after his medical examination he was classed as B1(able to be made fit by medical treatment). He was 5ft 7in tall with dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. A social was held in early May 1917 to farewell Albert, who was down on final leave. The residents of the district presented him with a soldier's pocket wallet.
Albert enlisted on 6 March 1917 and was assigned to New Zealand Rifle Brigade Reinforcements, H Company. He embarked 12th June 1917 and arrived in Devonport on 16 August. However all was not well for he was taken straight to 5th General Hospital on 18th August “sick”. He was later transferred to the 3rd NZ General Hospital at Codford, not far from Sling, on 14th September but was finally taken on strength at Codford on 17 September. He was transferred to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade at Brocton on 23 October and left from there for France. He marched into Base Depot at Etaples on 26 October. He joined 1st Battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade, A Company in the field on 2 November , but was back to a field ambulance on 4 December with “debility”. Possibly given that it was winter it may have been due to rheumatism. He was discharged on 17 December and he re-joined his unit on 18 December. He survived the rest of the winter and fighting but was killed in action on 5 April 1918 aged 22 during fighting in the Ancre Valley. He was first buried in the Jean Bart British Cemetery on the day after he was killed. After the was he was gathered in and reburied in the Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps. In New Zealand Thomas is remembered on the Hororata War Memorial.
Colincamps and "Euston", a road junction a little east of the village, were within the Allied lines before the Somme offensive of July 1916. The cemetery was started as a front line burial ground during and after the unsuccessful attack on Serre on 1 July, but after the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 it was scarcely used. It was briefly in German hands towards the end of March 1918, when it marked the limit of the German advance, but the line was held and pushed forward by the New Zealand Division allowing the cemetery to be used again for burials in April and May 1918. The cemetery is particularly associated with three dates and engagements; the attack on Serre on 1 July 1916; the capture of Beaumont-Hamel on 13 November 1916; and the German attack on the 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade trenches before Colincamps on 5 April 1918. The whole of Plot I, except five graves in the last row, represents the original cemetery of 501 graves. After the Armistice, more than 750 graves were brought in from small cemeteries in the neighbouring communes and the battlefields. The cemetery now contains 1,293 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 170 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 32 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to two soldiers whose graves in nearby small cemeteries were destroyed in later battles. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.First NameThomas Albert JamesLast NamePageFamilySingleSon of William and Sarah Jane PageDate of Birth26 February 1896Place of BirthHororataDate of Death5 April 1918Place of DeathFranceCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death27
Albert enlisted on 6 March 1917 and was assigned to New Zealand Rifle Brigade Reinforcements, H Company. He embarked 12th June 1917 and arrived in Devonport on 16 August. However all was not well for he was taken straight to 5th General Hospital on 18th August “sick”. He was later transferred to the 3rd NZ General Hospital at Codford, not far from Sling, on 14th September but was finally taken on strength at Codford on 17 September. He was transferred to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade at Brocton on 23 October and left from there for France. He marched into Base Depot at Etaples on 26 October. He joined 1st Battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade, A Company in the field on 2 November , but was back to a field ambulance on 4 December with “debility”. Possibly given that it was winter it may have been due to rheumatism. He was discharged on 17 December and he re-joined his unit on 18 December. He survived the rest of the winter and fighting but was killed in action on 5 April 1918 aged 22 during fighting in the Ancre Valley. He was first buried in the Jean Bart British Cemetery on the day after he was killed. After the was he was gathered in and reburied in the Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps. In New Zealand Thomas is remembered on the Hororata War Memorial.
Colincamps and "Euston", a road junction a little east of the village, were within the Allied lines before the Somme offensive of July 1916. The cemetery was started as a front line burial ground during and after the unsuccessful attack on Serre on 1 July, but after the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 it was scarcely used. It was briefly in German hands towards the end of March 1918, when it marked the limit of the German advance, but the line was held and pushed forward by the New Zealand Division allowing the cemetery to be used again for burials in April and May 1918. The cemetery is particularly associated with three dates and engagements; the attack on Serre on 1 July 1916; the capture of Beaumont-Hamel on 13 November 1916; and the German attack on the 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade trenches before Colincamps on 5 April 1918. The whole of Plot I, except five graves in the last row, represents the original cemetery of 501 graves. After the Armistice, more than 750 graves were brought in from small cemeteries in the neighbouring communes and the battlefields. The cemetery now contains 1,293 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 170 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 32 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to two soldiers whose graves in nearby small cemeteries were destroyed in later battles. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.First NameThomas Albert JamesLast NamePageFamilySingleSon of William and Sarah Jane PageDate of Birth26 February 1896Place of BirthHororataDate of Death5 April 1918Place of DeathFranceCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death27
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageHororata War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryEuston Road CemeteryHororata War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingEngineer's assistantRegiment or ServiceNew Zealand Rifle BrigadeEnlistment Details6th March 1917Service Number51893Embarkation12th June 1917CountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Rifleman Thomas Albert James Page. Selwyn Stories, accessed 09/02/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/435
