263rd Company, Royal Defence Corps
Thomas Henry Short was born at Joyford, near Coleford in 1860, son of Henry Short (1836-1905) and Jane (née Burgham) (1836-1895).
As Thomas Short he enlisted at Monmouth on 8 July 1878 and attested at Brecon on 11 July 1878 as Private 1612 for service with ‘25th Brigade at Monmouth’, giving his age as 19 years, his occupation as miner and declaring previous Militia service with the ‘Royal Monmouth Engineers’. He was posted to 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot on 24 February 1879, serving with the Battalion until 2 August 1880 when he transferred to 2nd Battalion as of 3 August 1880 until 30 June 1881. Thereafter with the renamed regiment, South Wales Borderers from 1 July 1881 to 28 February 1885. On 1 March 1885 he was transferred to the Reserve and finally discharged on 8 July 1890 after 12 years’ service, seven with the colours and five on the reserve. He served overseas, first in South Africa from 1 March 1879 to 3 October 1879, in the Zulu War, being entitled to the South Africa Medal with clasp 1879, and in India from 3 August 1880 to 23 February 1885.
In local folklore he is said to have been in the action at Rourke’s Drift. His service record show this to be incorrect, but he undoubtedly saw action against the Zulus.
He married on 2 October 1886 Harriet Hughes (1863-1899). There were three sons and two daughters of the marriage. The family lived at Joyford.
He remarried in 1900 to Mary Cooper (1881-1927). There were seven sons of his second marriage. The family lived at Mile End, near Coleford and he was employed as a coal miner at Cannop Colliery.
There are no records of his service in the Great War. The roll Soldiers Died in The Great War gives a former service number of 4056, Gloucestershire Regiment prior to service in the Royal Defence Corps (RDC) and states that he enlisted at Cheltenham. The RDC was not formed until March 1918. Given his age, any service with the Gloucesters would probably have been with training new recruits.
Thomas Henry Short died on 7 July 1916 at Berkeley Hospital of apoplexy whilst on active service, age given as 58 years. His remains were returned to his home for burial in the then Berry Hill (Christchurch) Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone now marks his grave.
Researched by Eric Nicholls 23 December 2019