Jack Tirrell

 Several years ago I posted about my mother's cousin Thomas Joseph Tirrell.  Through that post I was contacted by Thomas Joseph's daughter.  She told me all about his exemplary  military record during World War 11.  She also told me that Thomas had been known as Jack Tirrell for many years and that he retired to north Wales.

I was looking through old newspapers today and came across a few articles. The first was about his wife Brenda who have been seriously injured and a road accident in 1987. At the time I was actually looking for their death records.  Brenda obviously recovered from her injuries as she outlived Jack and didn't die until 2000. 

There were several reports about the Cambrian Horse Show which was founded by Jack in 1972.  This interview is from 1992 when Jack was 82 years old.  He died 2 years later in 1994.  I wonder if he kept in touch with his family in Yorkshire.  He was my first cousin once removed. I can see a likeness to my granddad Herbert William Tirrell (his uncle) from this photograph.

Thomas Joseph Tirrell

Thomas was the eldest son of Joseph and Olive (Scraggs) Tirrell who I wrote about yesterday. Thomas was born in 1910 in the Rotherham area.

I found this photograph in my late mother's belongings last year when I was in Australia.  I don't remember ever seeing it before and neither did my brother.  There is nothing written on the back of it to tell us who it is.  When I cam home I sent a copy to my mum's sister, auntie Joan, to see if she knew.   She immediately recognised it as her cousin Tommy Tirrell and told me he was a soldier who had received medals in World War II.

A search in the Times Archive found the following awards which he received during the war.  The fuller details are published in the London Gazette.

August 27 1940:  Battery Sergeant Major Thomas Joseph Tirrell, 2 Regiment Royal Horse Artillery.  British expeditionary force.  Distinguished Conduct Medal

Feb 10 1943:  Lieutenant Thomas Joseph Tirrell, 1 Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, Middle East Campaign (Egypt & Libia)  Military Cross.  Also Bar to Military Cross.

Apr 14 1945: Temporary Major Thomas Joseph Tirrell, 3 Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, for gallantry in North West Europe, second Bar to Military Cross.

So obviously a very able soldier who was well decorated.

As for his bride in this picture, I can only find one marriage of a Thomas J Tirrell to Brenda Bowers which was in the September quarter of 1939 in Eastry, Kent.  Maybe he was stationed there and they married before he went away to war.  I have found a record of one child born in 1941.  When Tommy received his Military Cross  he was living in Deal, Kent so I think maybe this was his marriage.   So far I have been unable to find a death record for Tommy.