Thomas Raddall

Thomas Raddall left school at the age of 15 and worked as a clerk but, just six weeks before his 16th birthday, became a “boy soldier”, joining the Royal Marines at Gosport. By the time he was 25, he had been promoted to sergeant before a transfer to the Musketry School, because of his talent as an excellent shot. During his time at the school he took part in many Army championships and was a regular competitor at Bisley.

In 1913 Raddall took up a position with the Canadian Militia until 1914 when he was commissioned into the 8th battalion, Canadian Infantry and was sent to serve in France. He was injured during the Second Battle of Ypres and sent back to Canada to recover but, later that same year he was back on the front line at his own insistence. He was later promoted to lieutenant-colonel and was awarded the DSO for bravery and outstanding service. The commanding officer of the Manitoba Regiment at the time, Raddall was killed when caught in machine gun fire during the Battle of Amiens in 1918. In one of Raddall’s last letters home to his family, he told his son, also Thomas Head Raddall, to “strive to make a name for yourself”. He did just that, becoming one of Canada’s best known historical fiction authors.