More about Thomas Cuthbert

On 5 July 1915, Clyde Z/793 A.B. Thomas Cuthbert, Anson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, was killed in action at the Dardanelles.

Born on 4 November 1891, Thomas was an overseer in Queen Victoria Works. He lived with his mother, Susan Cuthbert, at 27 Watson’s Lane, and joined the Royal Naval Division on 9 October 1914.

Temporary Lieutenant The Hon. K. R. Dundas, R.N.V.R., gave the following account of the action in which Thomas lost his life:- “We have just had a most exciting time. I was lying down at about 7am when I heard a sudden burr, & looking round saw the whole of our right bolting. Things looked pretty bad, but we charged out & reinforced the right, & drove off the Turks with heavy losses. For the time being, however, there was a bad panic, & had we not stopped the Turks few of us would be alive to tell the tale. I killed four Turks with my own fair hands & I know my men accounted for a good few.”

He is buried in Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Turkey, XI. D. 16.

DUNDEE NAVAL DIVISION MAN KILLED. MEMBER OF THE ANSON BATTALION. Able Seaman Thomas Cuthbert, of the Anson Battalion, is another Dundee lad to meet his death in the Dardanelles operations.
Deceased’s home was 27 Watson’s Lane. Intimation has been received from the Royal Naval Division Record Office that a telegram from Alexandria states that A.B. Thomas Cuthbert (Clyde Z/973 R.N.V.R.) had been killed in action. He was 25 years of age, and was previously an assistant foreman in Queen Victoria Works. He was first attached to the Benbow Battalion, but subsequently was transferred to the Anson Battalion. The Courier, Thursday, 29 July 1915,

——————————————————————————————————————————

Thomas Cuthbert was the son of Mrs Susan Cuthbert of 27 Watson’s Lane, Dundee and was employed as an Overseer in the Queen Victoria Works. In October 1914 he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. He was drafted to the Benbow Battalion which sailed for Gallipoli in May 1915. After the failure of the Third Battle of Krithia the Benbow Battalion was disbanded and the men sent other Battalions of the RND. Thomas Cuthbert joined the Anson Battalion and was killed in action on 5 July 1915 during a Turkish attack. Buried first in a support trench he was moved to the White House Cemetery, near an RND Command post. After the was he was reinterred in the Redoubt Cemetery, Helles. He is also commemorated in the Steeple Church, St Clements, Dundee.