Was just thinking a tree would be helpful! Good work Blue70.
There are quite extensive army records for Thomas on Findmypast and Ancestry. He first joined the Royal Irish regt at Clonmel in 1884 but seems to have transferred very soon thereafter to the Northumberland Fusiliers with whom he served until 1905 ( regt number 666). The record confirms all the details re Norah and the three children ie birth/ marriage dates and places. If I am reading the record correctly he appears to have been shot in the buttock in Nov 1899 and was returned to home duties. He later received pension payments in respect of this wound and the resulting scars are recorded on his record when he rejoined in Feb 1917 ( Regt no 243264/ 505500) He was age 51 years 5 months and was an Excavator by trade. He was recruited as a Pioneer, Inland Water Transport Royal Engineers. He served at home until April 2017 and then went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. He was demobbed on 14 Mar 1919. His conduct is recorded as very good although there is a record of him going awol temporarily in 1918 while on leave from France to Dublin.
Served with Special Service Corps in Ashanti Expedition 1895 -6 , Sudan Expedition 1898, South Africa 1899 - 1900, Occupation of Crete 1898 . Wounded at Modder River 28/11/1899. Seems to have been at home 1900-1902 before returning to India 1902 -1905.
Medals - Ashanti Star, Sudan Medal 1898 with clasp Khartoum, Queens Kedinas?, Queen's South Africa 1899- 1902 with clasp Belmont and Modder River plus First World War standard medal issue.
Seems to have been a Drummer 1885-1890
Next of kin is father Charles of Blanchardstown, Dublin
Isobel
