Rourke, Thomas ( - 1920)

Buried at

Commemorated at Hillhead High School

Thomas Rourke, better known as Tommy, was the eldest son of the late Mr. James Rourke, assistant superintendent, Glasgow Parks, and of Mrs. Rourke, 4 Vinicombe Street, Hillhead. He enlisted in September, 1915, in the Lowland Division Cyclist Corps when he was seventeen years of age. In 1916 he was offered a commission, but refused it, as he thought it would delay his chances of seeing active service. On account of his age he was unable to proceed to France, but on being transferred to The Lancashire Fusiliers in 1917 he went to France in August of that year.

Tommy was immediately in the thick of the fighting, and was always one of the first to volunteer for any hazardous duty. On the night of 1st December, 1917, he took part in a raid on the German lines at Passchendaele, and was, unfortunately, seriously wounded by an explosive bullet. He was one of the two survivors out of a hand of thirty, and lay for two days in the mud before being rescued. His left leg was amputated at a field dressing station, and on Hogmanay he was sent home to hospital in England. He never complained in any way, and was always in the best of spirits. Unfortunately, he had received a touch of poisonous gas when he was wounded, and this
slowly undermined his splendid constitution.

In March, 1920, his father died suddenly. Tommy never got over the shock, and died on 24th April, 1920. I was informed by the surgeons in charge of the Royal Infirmary that he must have been suffering pain for months without uttering a single complaint. He was of a retiring nature, but was very popular with his friends, and was always ready to do anyone a good turn. The utmost sympathy goes out to his widowed mother, brother, and sister.