Private Thomas Richard Stockman

 

Thomas Richard Stockman was born on 10 December 1896 at 6 Madison Avenue, Belfast, the sixth of seven children of gardener Joseph Stockman and his wife Harriett (née Polly). Around 1911-12 he was living at 48 Surrey Street with his parents and three of his four surviving siblings.

Stockman enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 25 or 26 May 1915 (No.1624). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp, remaining there until 9 July 1917, when he was one of about thirty men of the regiment who were transferred to the Labour Corps (No.333711). He was probably, like the others, posted to No.664 Home Service Labour Company. In most cases the men were no longer physically fit for front-line service. He was later posted to No.395 Company.

On 3 June 1918 he married Elizabeth Margaret Wilson at the First Presbyterian Church, Antrim.

Stockman remained with the Labour Corps until discharged on 13 March 1919. He was granted a pension for some form of disability attributable to, or aggravated by, his military service, receiving a final gratuity of £50 on 27 October 1920.

At some point after the war he lived in Main Street, Ballyclare.