Sergeant Thomas George McKinley Merchant Navy and Royal Army Service Corps
The Man Thomas George McKinley (Tommy) was born on Monday 20th October 1924 in Birkenhead, son of James Henry a Ship’s Rigger and member of the St John Ambulance Brigade and Charlotte (Lottie) nee Davies. Thomas was one of nine children, John Ernest (1926–2008), Margaret Dorothy (1929–2016), Walter Andrew (1931–1932), Elizabeth Elsie (1931–1932), Edith May (1932–2016), James Henry (1935–1936), Edward Alexander (1937–1942) and Doreen Rose (1937–1937). Sadly only Thomas, John, Margaret and Edith survived to adulthood.
Tommy’s father James had been previously married to Ruth Isabelle nee Barr, she passed away in 1922 and James re-married shortly after. They had six children, all half siblings of Thomas. Leslie James (1908–1986)
Doris Emma (1910–1993), Edna Kate (1913–2006), Beatrice Annie (1914–1995), Ruth Isabella (1920–2002) and Vera Louisa (1921–2010), all of whom survived into adulthood!
By 1939 aged 15, Tommy was living with his father at 25 Severn Street, Birkenhead and working as a Errand Boy. Following the outbreak of World War II, it seems Tommy was keen to enlist as soon as possible and lied about his age giving 17th March 1924 as his date of birth, enabling him to join the Merchant Navy, aged 16 early in 1940 with number R252811. As soon as he was 18 in March 1942, he left the Merchant Navy and joined the Army, details unknown, serving at home until seeing service in Northwest Europe following D Day on 6th June 1942.
For his Merchant service he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star and War Medal 1939-45. For his Army service the France and Germany Star and Defence Medal. It is likely the records from his Merchant service were not passed to the Army and he was erroneously awarded the France and Germany Star rather than the clasp as should have been the case.
During the second quarter of 1945 aged 21 Tommy married Kathleen W Lutwyche in Birkenhead. The marriage however didn’t last and following divorce, Tommy re-married in the first quarter of 1949 to Doreen Amelia Randles, still in Birkenhead and they had four children Linda Amelia (1949–2017), Pauline (1952–2009), Philip Lesley (1954–2019) and Wendy R (1958- )
Tommy’s father James had been previously married to Ruth Isabelle nee Barr, she passed away in 1922 and James re-married shortly after. They had six children, all half siblings of Thomas. Leslie James (1908–1986)
Doris Emma (1910–1993), Edna Kate (1913–2006), Beatrice Annie (1914–1995), Ruth Isabella (1920–2002) and Vera Louisa (1921–2010), all of whom survived into adulthood!
By 1939 aged 15, Tommy was living with his father at 25 Severn Street, Birkenhead and working as a Errand Boy. Following the outbreak of World War II, it seems Tommy was keen to enlist as soon as possible and lied about his age giving 17th March 1924 as his date of birth, enabling him to join the Merchant Navy, aged 16 early in 1940 with number R252811. As soon as he was 18 in March 1942, he left the Merchant Navy and joined the Army, details unknown, serving at home until seeing service in Northwest Europe following D Day on 6th June 1942.
For his Merchant service he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star and War Medal 1939-45. For his Army service the France and Germany Star and Defence Medal. It is likely the records from his Merchant service were not passed to the Army and he was erroneously awarded the France and Germany Star rather than the clasp as should have been the case.
During the second quarter of 1945 aged 21 Tommy married Kathleen W Lutwyche in Birkenhead. The marriage however didn’t last and following divorce, Tommy re-married in the first quarter of 1949 to Doreen Amelia Randles, still in Birkenhead and they had four children Linda Amelia (1949–2017), Pauline (1952–2009), Philip Lesley (1954–2019) and Wendy R (1958- )
In about 1952 Tommy re-enlisted into the Territorial Army, Royal Army Service Corps, service number T/22570815 and promoted to Sergeant. In 1964 was awarded the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’.
Tommy and his family lived at 7 Fairview Close, Oxton, sadly his marriage to Doreen was not going well. In Doreen’s own words ‘’The basic trouble wasn’t drink or temper – he was too easy going’’. Tommy had become very depressed and seen a Doctor who prescribed medication, they also agreed to a six week trial separation and he went to live with his mother Lottie in early January 1968, although he did return home three or four times a week to see the children. On 19th January he told Doreen he wanted to come back home and make a determined effort. He returned home on 20th and spent the next day Sunday 21st on parade at the Chetwynd TA Centre. Later that evening he went out for a drink, became argumentative upon his return and swallowed a number of his prescribed tablets in a fit of bravado, despite Doreen and his daughter Linda knocking some from his hands. He was later seen lying on the kitchen floor but neither Doreen or Linda took this too seriously as he had apparently done it before in order to scare them. Doreen went to the Police and meanwhile Tommy left the house and was not seen again that evening.
The next morning at 0625h a cyclist, John Hart, saw what he thought was a bundle of clothes lying in the road, when he investigated, he found it was Tommy who had sadly died because of the overdose, aged just 44. The coroner, Mr Joseph Roberts reported, ‘’He had no intention of taking his life, this was an accident’’.
Doreen died 9n May 1985 aged 59 also in Birkenhead.
Tommy and his family lived at 7 Fairview Close, Oxton, sadly his marriage to Doreen was not going well. In Doreen’s own words ‘’The basic trouble wasn’t drink or temper – he was too easy going’’. Tommy had become very depressed and seen a Doctor who prescribed medication, they also agreed to a six week trial separation and he went to live with his mother Lottie in early January 1968, although he did return home three or four times a week to see the children. On 19th January he told Doreen he wanted to come back home and make a determined effort. He returned home on 20th and spent the next day Sunday 21st on parade at the Chetwynd TA Centre. Later that evening he went out for a drink, became argumentative upon his return and swallowed a number of his prescribed tablets in a fit of bravado, despite Doreen and his daughter Linda knocking some from his hands. He was later seen lying on the kitchen floor but neither Doreen or Linda took this too seriously as he had apparently done it before in order to scare them. Doreen went to the Police and meanwhile Tommy left the house and was not seen again that evening.
The next morning at 0625h a cyclist, John Hart, saw what he thought was a bundle of clothes lying in the road, when he investigated, he found it was Tommy who had sadly died because of the overdose, aged just 44. The coroner, Mr Joseph Roberts reported, ‘’He had no intention of taking his life, this was an accident’’.
Doreen died 9n May 1985 aged 59 also in Birkenhead.
The Story The medal group awarded to Thomas George McKinley were acquired from e-bay on 28th July 2022 and of interest because of the award of the Atlantic Star and Efficiency Medal, the first such combination in this collection.
Despite several days of deliberation, they were acquired when Ancestry.UK revealed several family trees and photographs of Thomas in uniform (none showing ribbons sadly), uploaded by the family.
It was only after their acquisition it was noted the erroneous award of the Atlantic and France and Germany Star, the latter being recognised by a clasp on the former and not awarded separately. However, a sequence of research links, leads one to believe this may well be genuine and an error in issue.
Tommy was born on 20th October 1924, making him just 15 at the time of the 1939 Register. However, his family have uploaded his medal award record for service in the Merchant Navy, showing his date of birth as 17th March 1924, rendering him eligible to enlist into the MN at the outbreak of WWII aged 16. It is possible he lied about his age to be accepted. The records show him as being awarded the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star and War Medal 1939-45. A trawl of Ancestry revealed no Thomas McKinley born on 17th March 1924.
It is then likely when he became 18 in 1942, he enlisted into the Army, whether service records were carried over is unknown. It is feasible he served three years in the UK, using his incorrect birth date and saw subsequent service in France and Germany. Thus, being awarded the France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
If the records were never married by the MN or Army records office, it is possible when he enlisted into the Territorial Army in 1954, he applied for his medals and received two sets, he would have eliminated the duplicate War Medal and worn the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45, all as correctly awarded.
Contact with a family member was made via Ancestry, enabling much further detail to be added to Tommy’s biography, including his extremely sad and highly personal demise.
Despite several days of deliberation, they were acquired when Ancestry.UK revealed several family trees and photographs of Thomas in uniform (none showing ribbons sadly), uploaded by the family.
It was only after their acquisition it was noted the erroneous award of the Atlantic and France and Germany Star, the latter being recognised by a clasp on the former and not awarded separately. However, a sequence of research links, leads one to believe this may well be genuine and an error in issue.
Tommy was born on 20th October 1924, making him just 15 at the time of the 1939 Register. However, his family have uploaded his medal award record for service in the Merchant Navy, showing his date of birth as 17th March 1924, rendering him eligible to enlist into the MN at the outbreak of WWII aged 16. It is possible he lied about his age to be accepted. The records show him as being awarded the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star and War Medal 1939-45. A trawl of Ancestry revealed no Thomas McKinley born on 17th March 1924.
It is then likely when he became 18 in 1942, he enlisted into the Army, whether service records were carried over is unknown. It is feasible he served three years in the UK, using his incorrect birth date and saw subsequent service in France and Germany. Thus, being awarded the France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
If the records were never married by the MN or Army records office, it is possible when he enlisted into the Territorial Army in 1954, he applied for his medals and received two sets, he would have eliminated the duplicate War Medal and worn the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45, all as correctly awarded.
Contact with a family member was made via Ancestry, enabling much further detail to be added to Tommy’s biography, including his extremely sad and highly personal demise.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Atlantic Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- France and Germany Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal: T22570815 SGT. T.G.McKINLEY. R.A.S.C.
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This page last updated 30 Sep 22
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