Thomas James Barrow (known as Tom) was born on 10 October 1890 in Swansea. He was one of the 10 children of William and Susannah Barrow.

In the 1891 census, Tom was six months old, living with his parents and 5 siblings at 26 Pritchards Cottages, Skewen. His father William was working as a Labourer.

By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to 49 Crymlyn Burrows, Skewen and in 1911, they had moved once again to 23 Hoo St, St Thomas, Swansea. By that time, Tom was 20 years old and had started work as Labourer

Tom married Eliza Jane Messer at St Thomas’s Church, Swansea on 26 December 1914. In the register, he gave his occupation as a Wagon Repairer and address as 23 Hoo Street; Eliza was shown living at number 12.

Tom joined the army in mid-October 1915 and from that point onwards, would have seen little of his Eliza, his family or Swansea until after the war. Shortly after, however, Tom and Eliza welcomed their first child, Winifred (10 August 1916).

On the 18 March 1919, Tom was discharged from the army and returned to Swansea. Soon after, the couple celebrated the birth of their second child William (23 November 1919). Tom and Eliza went on to have 3 more children; George (1921), Leslie (1924) and Muriel (1930).

In the 1939 Register, Tom, Eliza and their family were living at 14 Tymawr Street. Tom was working as a Railway Carpenter.

In 1974, Tom and Eliza celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary. The local newspaper wrote; Mr and Mrs Thomas Barrow of 117, Port Tennant Road, Swansea, who celebrated their Diamond Wedding on Boxing Day. Married by the Rev W. Evans at St Thomas Church they have 5 five children, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Mr Barrow, who saw service with the Royal Artillery in Palestine during the first world war, worked at the British Wagon Repairers, until his retirement.

Tom Barrow passed away 1983 in Swansea.

His Great Niece added; He was my mother's uncle Tom. He was a lovely man. He married my mother's mother's sister Aunt Li (Eliza). They were married the day my mother was born. I know nothing of his military career I am afraid except for the small details on a Golden Wedding photo that appeared in the local paper. He lived a good long life fathering 5 children and dying in 1983 at the age of 92.

Tom Barrow joined the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade as a Driver at some time between 19 and 25 October 1915. At that time, he would have received a Brigade service number, which is likely to have been either 1544 or 1545.

Unfortunately, Dvr Barrow’s service record was destroyed in the Blitz and there a very few other surviving sources. However, remaining fragments give an brief outline of his service.

Dvr Barrow would initially have trained at the Brigade Depot and following that, been posted to a unit. There are no details of which unit he served with.

The only surviving clues of where he served is the Diamond Wedding newspaper article which states he saw service with the Royal Artillery in Palestine during the first world war. and his military pension record that stated he suffered from the effects of malaria. Using these, it is possible to conclude that he served – as a minimum – in the latter stages of the Egypt campaign, where General Allenby’s army pushed the Turks back through Palestine and the Juadaen Hills in 1918. It is also worth noting, that in the last months of the war, Allenby’s army fought through Jordan where malaria was endemic. It is very possible that this was where Tom became unwell.

Following the Armistice with the Turkish Armies on 30 October 1918, the army returned to Alexandria and then gradually shipped home.

Records confirm that Tom was discharged from the army on 18 March 1919 and that he continued to suffer from the effects of malaria and received a military pension until May 1922.

For his service in the Great War, Dvr Tom Barrow was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.