Boyd, Thomas Wesley
Bombardier
No. 1542601, 316 Battery, 102 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
Died of illness on Saturday 2 December 1939 (aged 48)
Buried:
Holywood Cemetery, Co. Down (Grave 1397)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
Thomas Wesley Boyd was born on 19 August 1891 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast and he was a son of Robert and Anne Jane Boyd (nee Perry) who were married on 30 November 1874 in St. Mary’s Church of Ireland Church, Belfast. Robert Boyd (aged 32), an iron-planer in a foundry from 1 Urney Street, Belfast was a son of John Boyd, a dealer. Anne Jane Perry (aged 21) from 14 Richmond Street, Belfast was a daughter of Andrew Perry, a farmer.
The Boyd family lived at 265 Conway Street, Belfast (1901 census) and 14 Glenvale Street, Belfast (1911 census).
Robert Boyd died between 1901 and 1911.
Robert Boyd already had a daughter – Margaret Anne Boyd (born 28 May 1870 at 108 Wilton Street, Belfast). Margaret Anne was a daughter of Robert and Mary Boyd (nee McCluskey, sometimes McClusky) who were married on 19 July 1869 in St. Mary’s Church of Ireland Church, Belfast. Mary McCluskey from Belfast was a daughter of James McCluskey, a labourer.
Robert and Anne Jane Boyd (nee Perry) had ten children:
Anne Jane (born 6 April 1876 at 1 Urney Street, Belfast)
Sarah Elizabeth (born 22 September 1878 at 1 Urney Street, Belfast)
Martha (born 23 July 1880 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast)
Mary (born 13 October 1882 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast)
John (born 9 October 1884 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast)
Emily Rebecca (born 20 April 1887 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast)
Jessie (born 30 May 1889 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast)
Thomas Wesley (born 19 August 1891 at 296 Conway Street, Belfast)
Jane (born 26 November 1893)
George Perry (born 17 August 1897 at 5 Lawnbrook Square, Belfast)
Thomas Wesley Boyd enlisted on 14 April 1909 and he served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (No. 9637). In 1911 he was stationed in Mandora Barracks, Stanhope Lines, Aldershot where he served under Major General H.M. Lawson. During the First World War he served overseas before being transferred to the Military Foot Police (No. P17899). Thomas Wesley Boyd and Margaret Taylor of 71 Westland Street, Belfast were married on 9 September 1918 in St. Anne’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Belfast and he was discharged from the MFP on 25 March 1919. Then he served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in County Fermanagh for 17 years. When he retired from the police he became an official in the Employment Exchange.
During the Second World War Thomas Wesley Boyd served with the Royal Artillery. He was 48 years old when he died of a gastric ulcer in Holywood Military Hospital on 2 December 1939 and he was buried on 5 December 1939 in Holywood Cemetery. There is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
AT THE GOING DOWN
OF THE SUN
AND IN THE MORNING
WE WILL REMEMBER HIM
At the time of his death his home address was reported in the Belfast News Letter to be Alliance Parade, Belfast.