PEOPLE IN PORTSMOUTH

 

Lives Lived and Lives Lost - Portsmouth and the Great War

THOMAS GEORGE DUFALL
 
The Dufall family originated in Dorchester and moved to Portsmouth in the early 1870s. Thomas Hill Dufall, the father of Thomas George, was born in 1854 and married Louisa Glanville in 1876. He was a shoemaker by trade. By 1881 they were living at 4 Delhi Place in Portsmouth with three children, the youngest of which was Thomas George (b. 1880).
 
The 1891 census records the family living at 24 York Street with four more children whilst the 1901 census shows them at 17 Netley Street though by this time Thomas George had already left the household to join the army. He seems to have been serving overseas for many succeeding years as he doesn't appear in the 1911 Census which tells us that the family had comprised of 11 children in all but that 6 of them had died. It also describes Thomas Hill Dufall's job as Industrial Trainer (Boot Maker) at the Portsmouth Guardian's Children's Home.
 
When the Great War broke out in August 1914 Thomas George Dufall was on leave from the army but promptly rejoined his depot at Winchester. Surprisingly for a seasoned soldier he was not sent to the Western Front straight away but remained behind until May 1915. Perhaps he was required to assist in training the many raw recruits. Once in France he was immediately engaged in heavy fighting but was killed at the Battle of Loos on 26th September 1915.
 
FURTHER INFORMATION
 
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission list Lance Corporal T. Dufall, (6153), 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, died 26/09/1915. Buried at Fouquieres Churchyard Extension, Pas de Calais.
 
Thomas Dufall is also remembered on the St. Wilfrid's Church WW1 memorial and the Cenotaph. He is listed in "The National Roll of the Great War", Section X, p290.
 
Tim Backhouse
February 2014