Dines, Thomas
Rifleman
No. 10418, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 28 August 1915 (aged 18)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium (Panel 40)
Newtownards and District War Memorial
Killyleagh War Memorial (as Dynes)
Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919 for
First Killyleagh Presbyterian Church (as Dynes)
Brother of Rifleman Alexander Dines (No. 6741)
Brother-in-law of Rifleman John Kennedy (No. 17/1773)
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his surname is spelt Dynes.
Thomas Dines was born on 12 December 1897 in Killyleagh and he was a son of William and Ellen Dines (nee Kennedy) who were married on 5 February 1886 in Newtownards Registrar’s Office. William Dines from Ringneal was a son of George Dines, a labourer. Ellen Kennedy from Ballyaltikilligan was a daughter of James Kennedy, a labourer.
The Dines family lived at 19 Irish Street, Killyleagh.
William Dines worked as a general labourer and he and Ellen had at least ten children including:
Mary Alice (born 26 March 1887 in Ringneal)
Martha (born 7 February 1889 in Ringneal)
Hugh (born 20 December 1890 in Killyleagh)
George (born 19 August 1893 in Killyleagh)
Alexander (born 16 October 1895 in Killyleagh)
Thomas (born 12 December 1897 in Killyleagh)
William (born 29 March 1900 in Killyleagh)
Gawn (born 5 June 1902 in Killyleagh; died of tubercular meningitis10 December 1905)
Ellen (Nellie, born 12 November 1904 in Killyleagh)
The Dines family moved from Killyleagh to 16 Ann Street, Newtownards and subsequently to Brownlow Street, Comber.
Thomas Dines enlisted in Newtownards and served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.
Rifleman Thomas Dines (No. 10418) made a will (it was undated) and after he was killed in action at Hooge on 28 August 1915 (aged 18) his property and effects were received by his mother.
At the time of Thomas’s death his brothers Alexander and George were also on active service. George Dines was wounded in the leg at Mons and was subsequently posted to Victoria Barracks in Belfast.
Rifleman Thomas Dines (No. 10418) has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium; on Newtownards and District War Memorial; on Killyleagh War Memorial (as Dynes) and in the PCI Roll of Honour for First Killyleagh Presbyterian Church (as Dynes).
One year after Thomas Dines died, almost to the day, his brother Alexander was killed in action – on 30 August 1916.