Description
1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medal, India General Service 1936- bar North West Frontier 1936-37, Major Thomas Henry Flye, 2-2 Punjab Regiment, former Sergeant in the Welsh Regiment being commissioned.
1915 Star officially impressed: “2190 Sjt T.H. Flye S. Wales Bord.”
BWM officially impressed: “Lieut T.H. Flye”
Victory Medal officially impressed: “Lt T.H. Flye”
IGS officially impressed: “Major T.H. Flye. 2-2 Punjab R.”
His rare 4 clasped India General Service Medal 1908, bars, Afghanistan NWF 1919, Waziristan 1919-21, Waziristan 1921-24, North West Frontier 1935, was recently sold at Morton and Eden on 24th February 2024, so a reunite is certainly possible.
Thomas was born during July 1891 in Brecon, Breconshire, Wales.
The son of Thomas Flye, a local man from Devynnock, and Ada Emma nee Roberts, from just over the border in Hereford.
His father was well respected in the region, being a long serving Police Officer who rose to Superintendent of the Breconshire Constabulary.
His father before him was an Englishman also named Thomas Flye, part of the original formation of the Breconshire Constabulary back in 1867, rising to become Deputy Chief Constable.
In the lead up to the war, Thomas had just lost his father during 1911, and found work locally as a Ironmonger’s Assistant.
With the war on the horizon he joined up for service as a Private in the South Wales Borderers, he was actually a member of the “1st Brecknockshire Battalion” which was a local battalion of the Territorial Force part of the South Wales Borderers.
He first landed for service in “Theatre 5c” aka Aden on 3rd July 1915, and remarkably quickly rose to Sergeant in that same year.
His unit, the 1/1st Brecknockshire Battalion of the South Wales Borderers saw unusual service, whilst most were shipped off to France, his battalion were posted to India and arriving in Bombay were then moved over to Aden.
During their time in Aden they took part in a little known action called the Battle of Lahej.
Wikipedia has the following brief entry of this campaign regarding the 1st Brecknocks:
“Aden was a vital naval coaling station and submarine telegraph hub on the Suez route to India. By the time the Brecknockshires arrived, war had been declared with the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Turkish forces in Yemen were threatening Aden, one attack already having been driven off. In June 1915 Turkish forces attacked Perim island in the Red Sea, and advanced on Lahej, 20 miles (32 km) north of Aden. The Government of India asked for Aden to be reinforced from Egypt. In the meantime the British commander at Aden decided to forestall the Turkish advance on Lahej and protect the friendly Sultan. An ‘Aden Moveable Column’ was organised, consisting of about 1000 infantry (the largest contingent, over 400 strong, from the 1/1st Brecknockshires) with the Aden Troop of Indian cavalry and artillery support.
The Moveable Column set out on 3 July and marched to Sheikh Othman, but a number of requisitioned cars were sent on ahead carrying a few infantry to reinforce the Aden Troop as the advance guard at Lahej. Most of the cars were bogged down and abandoned, but 9 or 10 got through. The rest of the column set out from Sheikh Othman at 03.00 on 4 July to cover the last 14 miles (23 km) to Lahej. The heat became intense and many of the troops dropped out with heat exhaustion, less than half the column reaching Lahej. The Turks had been delayed by the advance guard and did not reach the town until after dark. There was confused night fighting (the Battle of Lahej) in which the sultan, Sir ‘Ali II ibn Ahmad al-‘Abdali, was mortally wounded, and the camel drivers fled, taking their loads with them. Learning that he had lost all his stores, his water, and two of his guns, the column commander decided to retreat to Sheikh Othman. Without water the return march on 5 July was even worse than the advance, though the Turks made no attempt to pursue. With almost all of the column incapacitated (around 20 died of heatstroke), Sheikh Othman was abandoned on 7 July (even though it was the head of the main Aden water supply) and the force returned to Aden. The reinforcements from Egypt recaptured Sheikh Othman on 21 July and fortified the position to secure the water supply, but a Turkish garrison remained in Lahej until after the end of the war.”
Then the following which recalls “Many NCOs and Men were also commissioned into the Indian Army”:
“Aden & Afghanistan
The exhausted Brecknockshire Battalion was relieved at Aden and returned to India on 5 August 1915. Officially, the battalion remained attached to the 44th (Home Counties) Division, but that formation had been dispersed across India in various garrisons and was never re-assembled. 1/1st Brecknockshire Bn spent the next four years garrisoning Mhow in Central India, where it was administered by the 5th (Mhow) Division. Two half-companies were usually stationed at Indore.
Although the battalion saw no further active service, many officers and men left as reinforcement drafts to the Mesopotamian Front, chiefly to the 4th (Service) Bn, SWB, in 13th (Western) Division. Many NCOs and men were also commissioned into the Indian Army.”
Having been a Sergeant he was granted a commission in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers dated 5th July 1917.
Following his commission he saw much active service in the following years, serving in Waziristan during success campaigns of 1919-21 and then 1921-24 as Lieutenant with the 2nd 69th Punjabis.
Following on he rose to Captain during 1927 and then earning his 2nd IGS Medal he was Major in the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Punjab Regiment during the 1936-37 campaign in the North West Frontier.
Going on well over 20 years of service, he served out the rest of World War 2, including a Promotion to Colonel during April 1944.
After the war was finished, he retired as Honorary Colonel on 1st November 1947.
Having spent decades in India, he retired to his home of Brecknock to die there on 9th December 1967.
