BEDFORD Thomas
Died 20 August 1914 Age 26
Buried Gosport (Ann’s Hill) Cemetery England

 

NAME BEDFORD Thomas
Service Record

Private 8074 A Company 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Thomas Bedford was a reservist who was employed by the Post Office in Carnforth at the outbreak of World War 1. He unfortunately was killed as he was accident shot while cleaning a revolver.

An article in the Hampshire Telegraph of the 28 August 1914, under the title Evidence at the Inquest reported:
Mr Hugh Donnithorne, the deputy coroner for South Hampshire, on Friday, held an inquest at the Royal Navy Hospital, Haglar (where Thomas Bedford had died). Evidence was given that Thomas Bedford was servant to Lieut Suckling, he was found shot through the head outside the officer’s tent with the Lieut’s revolver in his hand. It was a pure accident as the deceased was in the act of cleaning the revolver, unaware that it was loaded. The bullet had entered above his eye and gone through the brain. It was recorded as an accident by the jury.

His funeral took place at Ann’s Hill cemetery. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack and there was a guard of honour as well as three volleys fired over the grave and a regimental bugler sounded the Last Post.

He was the son of James Bedford of “South View” Goring Road, Staines, Middlesex

On the 4 July 1914, in the Lancaster Evening News, there is a Police report that was heard at Lancastle Castle (the Court at the time), that a Thomas Bedford of Carnforth was caught riding a bicycle without a light in Silverdale Road, Warton, this is probably the same Thomas Bedford.