Lieutenant Thomas Roland JUCKES
3rd (Reserve) Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment attached to 5 Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion

Date of birth: 1st February 1896
Date of death: 9th May 1915

Killed in action aged 19
Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial Panels 20 and 21
He was born at 14 Carfax, Horsham in Sussex on the 1st of February 1896 the third son of Dr Frank Ambrose Juckes MD and Henrietta Mary (nee Darnell) later of Old Compton, Horsham.

He attended the King’s School Canterbury from May 1910 to the 4th of August 1914 where he was awarded a Junior Scholarship in December 1911 and played for the Rugby XV in 1912/13, winning his colours that year, and in 1913/14 when he was Vice Captain of Rugby. In 1913 the Cantuarian said of his rugby game:-

"Very fair forward, but does not go hard enough and must learn to tackle low. Good place kick."

In March 1914 they made the following observations:-

"A promising and improving forward. Plays harder and has more control over the ball. Tackles well. Disappointing as place kick. Good out of touch."

He was appointed as a school monitor in September 1913, was in the Rowing IV in 1913 and 1914, winning his Rowing Colours in 1914, and was in the Fives Pair the same year. He became a member of the Sports Committee in September 1913. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps where he rose to the rank of Corporal and attended the annual camps in 1913 and 1914. He passed the London Matriculation in June 1914. He played rugby for Blackheath Football Club and for Harlequins Rugby Football Club.

Following the outbreak of war he applied for a commission in the Special Reserve of Officers for the Royal Sussex Regiment on the 10th of August 1914 in an application which was supported by Lieutenant H. Poole, Officer Commanding of the King's School Officer Training Corps. He underwent a medical examination at Chichester on the 13th of August where it was recorded that he was six feet four inches tall and that he weighed 190lbs. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on probation in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment on the 15th of August 1914 and was posted to Dover. He was attached to the 2nd Battalion of his regiment for war service and embarked for France on the 26th of January 1915. He was confirmed in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on the 17th of February 1915.

On the 9th of May 1915 the British opened a major attack to capture German positions at Aubers Ridge. The 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment moved forward for the attack on the evening of the 8th of May and by early morning they were in trenches opposite their objective, the enemy positions to the south east of the village of Richebourg L'Avoue. Tea and rum was issued to the men at 3.30am on the morning of the attack and at 5am the British artillery began firing on the enemy front trenches, which intensified at 5.30am when the leading waves of the battalion left their trenches on a 400 yards front. When they had advanced some 50 yards the second wave followed them. They were greeted by intense rifle and machine gun fire from the enemy trenches which tore huge gaps in the Sussex ranks and, although they got close to the enemy wire entanglements, they could get no further. Thomas Juckes, in command of B Company, led his men forward to the attack but was halted at the German front line by uncut barbed wire. With the Germans in their trenches only 25 yards beyond, they poured rifle and machine gun fire into the Sussex men at point blank range and the attack faltered with the survivors taking what cover they could. At 6.30am came the order to retire.
At 7.30pm that evening the survivors from the battalion marched back to billets at Les Choquaux having suffered casualties of fourteen officers and five hundred and forty seven other ranks.

His father received the following telegram dated the 13th of May 1915: -

"Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lt T.R. Juckes R. Sussex Regt. is reported missing believed killed. Lord Kitchener expresses his sympathy."

His father received the following information regarding the death of his son: -

"Was seen to fall just before dark - has not been heard of at dressing station."

A number of eyewitness statements were gathered to establish what had happened to Tom Juckes.

Statement of Private 83 Lester, Royal Sussex Regiment, taken at No. 1 Stationary Hospital on the 27th of May 1915: -

“Informant was close to him when he was hit in the leg; he dug himself in. Informant remained there for 10 ½ hours and during this time there was heavy shelling. Informant saw a shell some and entirely bury Lt. Jukes (sic) Informant spoke with admiration of this officer.”

Statement of Private 1438 G.W. Standing 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment taken at the Red Cross Convalescence Hospital, Felthorpe Hall, Norwich on the 1st of June 1915: -

"Informant reports Lieut. Juckes was commanding his platoon, and informant saw him fall in the same engagement."

Statement of Private Williams, 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, taken at the Third General Hospital, Le Treport on the 7th of June 1915: -

“Lt. Juckes was wounded on the 9th May at Richebourg L’Avoue. I saw him lying on the ground but could not tell how bad he was. He was at all events able to raise himself on his hands, and had his waterproof coat pulled over him. It was during an attack by us on the German trenches between 6-7am. I myself was wounded and had to crawl back but I don’t think the attack succeeded on that day. Lt. Juckes lay about half way between the two lines about 200 yds out from us. I believe the trenches were taken a week later.”

Statement of Private 7563 A. Walker 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment taken at No. 16 General Hospital at Le Treport on the 27th of September 1915: -

"Mr Juckes was from Horsham, and I was his servant. He had gone about 30 yards from the parapet of our own trench when he was hit. I was right beside him and he told me to go on. The last I saw of him was digging himself in , and covering himself with a waterproof sheet. A few hours later we were compelled to retire and leave a lot of wounded behind. Stretcher bearers went out at night and the Black Watch brought some in. Lt. Juckes was not got in, and the feeling is that he was blown to pieces."

The Cantuarian wrote:-

"His memory and his influence will live long in the school, and we feel that his family know so well how deep is our sympathy and regret, that there is hardly the need to assure them of it."

His older brother, 2nd Lieutenant George Francis Juckes (OKS), 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade was killed in action on the 6th of July 1915. His eldest brother Ralph (OKS) survived the war to become headmaster of Junior King’s from 1927 to 1931.

He is commemorated on his parent's grave at St Michael’s Church at Bishops Cleeve and on the war memorials at Blackheath Football Club and at Harlequins Rugby Football Club.
 

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